POLICY & POLITICS
North SJ Valley:
Nasty post is left on Stanislaus County supervisor’s door. ‘It’s a cowardly act.’
Modesto Bee
Stanislaus County leaders hear a lot of criticism. It comes with the territory for elected officials like Terry Withrow, who make difficult decisions affecting 555,600 residents. Even so, Withrow said he didn’t know what to make of profane comments stuck to the door of his business office over the weekend.
Central SJ Valley:
California court ruling could deter college students from reporting sexual assault
Fresno Bee
Title IX investigations at California universities will have live hearings, which Betsy DeVos wants on national level. Victim advocates say it prevents sexual assault, abuse survivors from reporting crimes.
South SJ Valley:
Senator proposes $400 million lift to F-K Canal
Visalia Times Delta
At 30, Melissa Hurtado (D-Sanger) is California’s youngest female senator in history. That hasn’t stopped her from making a splash across the 559 — literally. She recently introduced Senate Bill 559 (the area code most helped by the bill) that would appropriate $400 million from the California General Fund for critical repairs to the sinking Friant-Kern Canal, if passed.
See also:
● Hurtado introduces $400 million bill to fix Friant-Kern CanalPorterville Recorder
McCarthy to hold valley fever roundtable
Bakersfield Californian
Rep. Kevin McCarthy, co-chair of the Congressional Valley Fever Task Force, will hold a roundtable discussion at 5 p.m. Pacific Time, Wednesday, in Washington D.C.
Global Family Care Network founder Jennifer Jensen named as 34th District’s Woman of the Year
Bakersfield Californian
Assemblyman Vince Fong named Global Family Care Network Founder and Executive Director Jennifer Jensen as the 34th District’s 2018 Woman of the Year.
State:
Update: Here’s how Gavin Newsom is doing on 10 campaign promises we’re tracking
Sacramento Bee
Democrat Gavin Newsom vowed while running for governor to tackle many of California’s biggest problems, from health care to homelessness to wildfires. We’re watching his efforts to keep his campaign promises.
See also:
● Becerra v Trump: How California is using the courts to fight the administrationCALmatters
‘Woman of the year’ Kathy Griffin says she won’t support ‘another old, white guy’ in 2020
Merced Sun-Star
Comedian Kathy Griffin is a 2019 woman of the year at the California Capitol. She said “screw Donald Trump” as she accepted the honor. Assemblyman Richard Bloom of Santa Monica chose her for the recognition.
California takes politics out of a very political job
San Francisco Chronicle
State Auditor Elaine Howle is on the recruiting trail, looking for California voters interested in a job that’s almost guaranteed to make them no friends at all.
Schwarzenegger’s New Way summit
Sacramento Bee
Today former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is headed back to Sacramento for the second annual New Way Summit. According to its website, New Way is a movement that hopes to “change the divisive dialogue that plagues politics and reignite the California Dream.”
Federal:
Attorney general won’t recuse from overseeing Mueller probe
Modesto Bee
Attorney General William Barr will not recuse himself from overseeing the special counsel’s Russia probe.
See also:
● Attorney General Barr will not recuse himself from Mueller investigationRoll Call
House Democrats launch aggressive new Trump probe
Sacramento Bee
The House Judiciary Committee is launching a sweeping new probe of President Donald Trump, his White House, his campaign and his businesses.
See also:
● House Democrats open new inquiry that could lay the groundwork for impeachmentLos Angeles Times
Housing Secretary Ben Carson says he intends to leave at end of Trump’s first term
Los Angeles Times
Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson says he intends to leave his post at the end of President Trump’s first term.
Lawyer for Cohen Approached Trump Attorneys About Pardon
Wall Street Journal
An attorney for Michael Cohen, Donald Trump’s former personal lawyer, raised the possibility of a pardon with attorneys for the president and his company after federal agents raided Mr. Cohen’s properties in April.
Gerson: Trump boldly asserts that he has learned nothing these past two years
Washington Post
Trump’s Conservative PAC speech was a bold assertion that he has learned nothing — absolutely nothing — during his first two years in office. Not manners. Not economics. Not geopolitics. Not simple decency.
Elections 2020:
Big-dollar donors, including Donald Trump, fueled Kamala Harris’ political rise in California
Fresno Bee
2020 Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris tapped into Democrats’ big-dollar donor class in her rise from San Francisco district attorney, to California attorney general, to United States senator.
See also:
● She was fired for a racist joke. Now, Roseanne Barr is going after Kamala Harris.Fresno Bee
● Harris pitches populism, inspiration during Nevada campaign stopSan Francisco Chronicle
● Compromise or resist? Democrats still have a choice to makeRoll Call
Who is running for president in 2020?
abc30
Joe Biden, Cory Booker, Elizabeth Warren, and others with presumed 2020 interest have been active in congressional and gubernatorial campaigns across the country.
Bernie Sanders Files To Run As A Democrat — And An Independent
Capital Public Radio
The Democratic Party is requiring presidential candidates to “affirm” its allegiance to the party. Sanders has filed to run for president as a Democrat, but as an independent for the Senate in 2024.
See also:
● Will Democratic Primary Voters Tolerate a Liberal?Wall Street Journal
Hillary Clinton says she won’t run for president in 2020
Los Angeles Times
Hillary Clinton says she won’t run for president in 2020, but vows she’s “not going anywhere.” The former secretary of State, senator and first lady ruled out another campaign during an interview posted Monday by New York TV station News12.
A vast majority of counties showed increased Democratic support in 2018 House election
Los Angeles Times
When Democrats took 40 congressional districts from Republicans in the 2018 election, the House of Representatives experienced what many considered to be a blue wave.
You know what might save the Republican Party? California
azcentral
The Trump GOP has a short shelf life. After Trump, Republican voters will stay in the Republican Party, the nation’s conservative party. If that party continues Trump-like as an instrument of white grievance it will divide the country.
Other:
Washington Post
So-called liberal socialism or social democracy is less of a top-down governing model but one in which demands for redistributing wealth emerge from the bottom up.
The States With the Best and Worst Levels of Well-Being
Pew Charitable Trusts
Americans in parts of the West were feeling good last year. That’s one possible takeaway from the latest edition of an index ranking states based on the “well-being” of their residents.
Allies Worry Over U.S. Public Opinion
Wall Street Journal
There is no more important question in world politics than this: Will U.S. public opinion continue to support an active and strategically focused foreign policy?
See also:
● Evaluating Trump’s Foreign Policy From A Conservative PerspectiveAEI
MADDY INSTITUTE PUBLIC POLICY PROGRAMMING
Sunday, March 10, at 10 a.m. on ABC 30 – Maddy Report:“Ready, Fire, Aim: High Speed Rail’s Initial Rollout” – Guest: California State Auditor, Elaine Howle. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.
Sunday, March 10, at 10 a.m. on Newstalk 580AM/105.9FM (KMJ) –Maddy Report – Valley Views Edition: “High Speed Rail: Leaving the Station?”– Guest: Tim Sheehan with the Fresno Bee. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.
Sunday, March 10, at 7:30 a.m. on UniMas 61 (KTTF) – El Informe Maddy: “Los Diez Mas Importantes De California”– Guest: Alexei Koseff, Reportero de San Francisco Chronicle. Host: Maddy Institute Program Coordinator, Maria Jeans.
AGRICULTURE/FOOD
The labels say 100 percent ground beef, but the recalled beef might have metal or plastic
Fresno Bee
Washington Beef recalled 30,260 pounds of ground beef chubs, most sold under the St. Helens or Double R Ranch brands, because the beef might have hard plastic or metal in them.
Legal dispensaries struggle to compete against illegal pot shops as closure deadline looms
Bakersfield Californian
As a ban on marijuana dispensaries continues into its second year, the few remaining legal medical storefronts have had to contend with a collection of illegal shops that have sometimes proven difficult to close.
See also:
● Marijuana’s legal, but legacy of racist law lingers onSacramento Bee
● San Diego exploring ‘cannabis equity’ to boost low-income participation in emerging industrySan Diego Union Tribune
Is a ‘blue card’ agriculture’s immigration solution?
Business Journal
With security tightened along the U.S.-Mexico border and threats by current President Donald Trump to crack down on undocumented immigrants, there are fewer people coming here willing to work hard, often low-wage jobs in the agricultural industry.
Farmers Hope for Hemp Riches Despite Risks
Pew Charitable Trusts
The farm bill, which President Donald Trump signed in December, makes growing hemp in the United States legal again. Now Kentucky, which the Brookings Institution called one of the best places to cultivate hemp in the world, is returning to its roots.
The Startup Taking On Bayer With Cheaper, Non-GMO Seeds
Bloomberg
Baron is co-founder of Farmers Business Network Inc. (FBN), a five-year-old startup that says it can do for corn and soybean seed what Warby Parker has done for eyewear.
See also:
● California is the nation’s biggest GMO and organic food battlegroundRiverside Press Enterprise
EDITORIAL: Is gulping soda as bad as smoking? California seems to think so
Los Angeles Times
In California, soda is the new tobacco — at least from a public policy point of view. Adopting some of the same methods that have been employed to reduce smoking, California legislators have put together an ambitious package of bills aimed at curbing consumption of sodas, energy drinks and other beverages that have added sugar.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE / FIRE / PUBLIC SAFETY
Crime:
Owning a falcon shouldn’t mean sacrificing constitutional rights, lawsuit says
Modesto Bee
Peter Stavrianoudakis, a Modesto defense attorney and falconer, brings a lawsuit to prevent state and federal wildlife officials from entering his home unannounced just because he owns a bird of prey.
Marijuana’s legal, but legacy of racist law lingers on
Sacramento Bee
As our nation struggles with unprecedented challenges to its democratic foundations, there are also new bright spots in the years-long campaign to reform our racist criminal justice system.
Local Catholic priest suspended as diocese reopens investigation into 2002 rape allegations
Bakersfield Californian
The Rev. Miguel Flores of east Bakersfield’s St. Joseph Catholic Church has been placed on administrative leave while senior officials take another look at 17-year-old sexual misconduct allegations involving him and a then-16-year-old girl.
Female jail inmates sue over right to sleep
San Francisco Chronicle
In California prisons, one privilege is a night of uninterrupted sleep. And with security checks, maintenance work and 3 a.m. pill calls, even a five-hour stretch of shut-eye can be a pipe dream.
Public Safety:
COS Police Academy now accepting testing sign-ups for August class
Porterville Recorder
The Tulare-Kings Basic Peace Officer Academy, at the College of the Sequoias, Hanford Educational Center, is accepting sign-ups for testing for its August 5 Intensive Academy class.
Stephon Clark: Black Lives Matter plans to ‘occupy’ Sacramento police headquarters
Sacramento Bee
Black Lives Matter Sacramento says it plans to “occupy” the main Sacramento police station on Freeport Boulevard Tuesday afternoon as part of the protests over the district attorney’s decision in the Stephon Clark shooting.
See also:
● Stephon Clark: California clergy implore attorney general to charge cops or face political heatSacramento Bee
● Police Arrest 84 After Stephon Clark Protest In East SacramentoCapital Public Radio
● Police end Stephon Clark protest in East Sacramento with arrest of 84 people Sacramento Bee
● What Can Investigators Learn From Your Cell Phone?Capital Public Radio
● EDITORIAL: Stephon Clark’s shooting death show need for use-of-force reformsSan Francisco Chronicle
San Francisco Chronicle
In the latest blow to the cash-bail system, a federal judge ruled Monday that San Francisco’s bail schedule, requiring newly arrested defendants to pay amounts based on the charged crimes in order to be released from jail, violates poor defendants’ rights without protecting the public.
EDITORIAL: House’s background check bills part of an uphill fight
San Francisco Chronicle
The House passed its most ambitious gun legislation in decades last week. That is a measure not only of the bills’ import but also of how little has been done to address the national toll of gun violence.
Fire:
California winter rains used to ward off wildfires — but not anymore, new study finds
Fresno Bee
California winter rain was historically followed by less severe summer fires, but fire management and climate change altered that, researchers write in a study that says wet weather no longer predicts modest fires.
See also:
● Will wet winters like this reduce California’s wildfire risk? Not likelySan Francisco Chronicle
ECONOMY / JOBS
Economy:
Historic downtown dining institution Visalia Tea Garden closes after nearly a century
Visalia Times Delta
Tulare County’s oldest restaurant, Visalia Tea Garden, has shut its doors after nearly a century of serving hand-made noodles out of its historic downtown location.
Navigate the new tipping economy
abc30
In a recent Consumer Reports survey of more than 1,000 American adults, 27 percent said there are more situations today where they’re expected to tip than there were just two years ago.
Recent snowfall in the southern Sierra Nevada brings big expectations for Kern River recreation
Bakersfield Californian
Rafting companies in the Lake Isabella area are gearing up for a surge in business this spring and summer after recent storms raised expectations for rousing times ahead on the Kern River.
Trump’s trade war is politically motivated, yet hurts consumers and GOP voters, study shows
Los Angeles Times
The economic rationale for President Trump’s trade war with China has been so threadbare and the likelihood of losses so great that no one should be surprised that it hasn’t been the success Trump predicted.
See also:
● Why Trump’s Effort to Narrow the Trade Gap Has Flopped So FarWall Street Journal
● Trump’s China Deal Could Punish U.S. AlliesWall Street Journal
● On China, Trump Risks Repeating Experience of Bush and ObamaWall Street Journal
Stocks fall, led by healthcare and tech sectors
Los Angeles Times
Healthcare companies led stocks lower on Wall Street on Monday as investors waited for more details on reports that the United States and China are moving closer to a deal to resolve their costly trade dispute.
Jobs:
CalChamber Identifies AB 51 as Job Killer; Full List to Come
CalChamber
On March 4, the California Chamber of Commerce announced its first identified job killer of 2019 — AB 51 (Gonzalez; D-San Diego).
EDITORIAL: Keeping Talent America Trains
Wall Street Journal
President Trump says he supports more legal immigration based on merit. If he means it, he should scotch a mooted labor regulation that would restrict temporary visas for high-skilled foreign graduates of U.S. universities.
EDUCATION
K-12:
Band parents and PE teachers clash over policy
Visalia Times Delta
After nearly an hour of discussion from parents, teachers and board members, Visalia Unified board members agreed last week to move forward with creating a policy to allow marching band students to get out of PE.
Fun learning at MESA Invitational
Porterville Recorder
Over 100 students from Bartlett, Carl F. Smith, Pioneer, and Sequoia Middle Schools competed in math, engineering, science, and aeronautics projects on Saturday, March 2, at Harmony Magnet Academy’s second annual Math, Engineering, and Science Achievement (MESA) Invitational.
8 area schools heading to state Science Olympiad finals
Stockton Record
More than 750 San Joaquin County students participated in the 33rd Annual San Joaquin County Science Olympiad Competition for Division B and Division C at Ronald E. McNair High School on March 2.
Oakland teachers’ new contract: what’s in the deal
San Francisco Chronicle
Oakland teachers, nurses and counselors voted Sunday to ratify a new contract, ending a strike in which they demanded raises and reduced class sizes. Here’s a look at what’s in the deal.
Declining K–12 Enrollment Forces Major Budget Cuts in Many Districts
Public Policy Institute of California
Because state funding is based on average daily attendance, falling enrollment leads to lower state funding levels. Significant, sustained declines require districts to make difficult decisions to stay afloat financially.
Higher Ed:
Deadline FAST APPROACHING: Wonderful Public Service Graduate Fellowship
The Maddy Institute
Applications for two $56,000 Fellowships Due Friday, March 15th, 2019. Through the generosity of The Wonderful Company, San Joaquin Valley students will have the opportunity to become the next generation of Valley leaders through The Wonderful Public Service Graduate Fellowship. The Maddy Institute will award two $56,000 Fellowships to Valley students who are accepted into a nationally ranked, qualified graduate programin the fall of 2019.
California court ruling could deter college students from reporting sexual assault
Fresno Bee
Title IX investigations at California universities will have live hearings, which Betsy DeVos wants on national level. Victim advocates say it prevents sexual assault, abuse survivors from reporting crimes.
What to do about student debt? These ideas are brewing in the California Legislature
Sacramento Bee
About $1.5 trillion of student loan debt now hangs over the heads of millennials in the United States. And studies show they are, not surprisingly, drowning in attempts to make their monthly payments without going broke in the process.
Apprenticeships:
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ENVIRONMENT/ ENERGY
Environment:
Seeking to shrink Bears Ears, uranium firm met with Interior before review
Roll Call
A meeting between an Interior Department official and a company tied to mineral interests in the Bears Ears National Monument area — almost a month before President Donald Trump requested a review that substantially reduced its boundaries — may end up in the crosshairs of House Natural Resources Chairman Raúl M. Grijalva.
Amid Climate Change, FEMA And Government Aid Widen Wealth Inequality
NPR
Disasters are becoming more common in America. In the early and mid-20th century, fewer than 20 percent of U.S. counties experienced a disaster each year. Today, it’s about 50 percent.
Energy:
Thousands in Oakhurst and surrounding areas without power, PG&E says
Fresno Bee
Nearly 4,000 customers were without power in the foothills area of Madera and Mariposa counties on Monday. A cause for the outage had yet to be determined Monday evening, PG&E spokesperson J.D. Guidi said.
See also:
● Equipment issue leaves 2,448 people without power in the Foothillsabc30
● Wide-Reaching Power Outage Affects ThousandsSierra News
SMUD cancels controversial power line project north of Sacramento
Sacramento Bee
SMUD on Friday canceled the Colusa-Sutter Transmission Line Project, a $345 million power line north of Sacramento that had drawn major opposition from farmers.
Renewable natural gas is environmentally sound
CALmatters
After significant success in other sectors, California is getting serious about reducing greenhouse gas emissions from one of the hardest areas to decarbonize: heating in homes, businesses and industrial applications.
See also:
● California must make use of ‘renewable’ natural gas. Here’s howCALmatters
● California lawmakers want $100 billion toward clean energyAP News
Cost of undergrounding power lines no excuse for PG&E
San Francisco Chronicle
PG&E invariably blames the blackouts on the weather and the wildfires on climate change. Ducking responsibility represents a frequently successful attempt to absolve the company from having to pay any damages.
Russian oil imports surge in US as Venezuela’s slow to a trickle
Fresno Bee
Only two ships carrying 766,000 barrels of crude oil from Venezuela arrived in the United States last week in the wake of debilitating oil sanctions lodged against the state-run oil company, PDVSA.
HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES
Health:
Results from a California Survey Assessing the Use of Laura’s Law
Treatment Advocacy Center
This report shows the much improved outcomes of people with severe mental illness who are identified and targeted through outreach for robust, comprehensive community services and support.
A Large Study Provides More Evidence That MMR Vaccines Don’t Cause Autism
Capital Public Radio
A study of more than 600,000 Danish children finds no evidence of any link between autism and the vaccine that protects against mumps, measles and rubella.
See also:
● Amid Measles Outbreaks, States Seek to Force Parents to Vaccinate ChildrenWall Street Journal
A Netflix Model for Hepatitis C: One Price, Unlimited Meds
Pew Charitable Trusts
Two states fighting an escalating hepatitis C crisis will soon pay a flat fee for unlimited drugs — Netflix style — to treat prisoners and low-income residents suffering from the deadly liver disease, with the goal of all but eliminating the infection.
More Babies Are Being Born With Syphilis. Blame Meth and Opioids.
Pew Charitable Trusts
Some of the communities hit hardest by the opioid epidemic and a related methamphetamine spike also are facing another health crisis: a steep rise in syphilis.
A Doctor’s Prescription for More AI in Medicine
Wall Street Journal
There’s no doubt that artificial intelligence is transforming health care. But its use doesn’t come without controversy, as critics ask if AI could further dehumanize medicine and erode the doctor-patient relationship.
Human Services:
Valley Children’s network is expanding across the region. What does that mean for your family?
Fresno Bee
Like the children it helps, Valley Children’s Healthcare network is growing each year. And each year, it grows closer together, too.
See also:
● ‘A happy experience.’ How scary hospital visits were driven away at Valley Children’sFresno Bee
CA sues over US abortion rule; 20 states to follow
abc30
California and 20 other Democratic-led states announced they were challenging the Trump administration’s effort to set up obstacles for women seeking abortions, including barring taxpayer-funded family planning clinics from referring patients to abortion providers.
See also:
● California Sues To Block New Federal Abortion RestrictionsCapital Public Radio
● California sues over Trump’s abortion-funding restrictionsSan Francisco Chronicle
● 21 states to file suit to block Trump administration’s abortion ‘gag rule’ in family planning programWashington Post
McCarthy to hold valley fever roundtable
Bakersfield Californian
Rep. Kevin McCarthy, co-chair of the Congressional Valley Fever Task Force, will hold a roundtable discussion at 5 p.m. Pacific Time, Wednesday, in Washington D.C.
Kern County Go Red for Women Luncheon raises $220,000 to raise awareness of cardiovascular disease
Bakersfield Californian
The 2019 Kern County Go Red for Women Luncheon raised over $220,000 to support research and education of cardiovascular disease. The annual event is designed to raise awareness of the leading cause of death in women, cardiovascular disease.
State psychiatric nurses are working back-to-back shifts. New proposal would give them a choice
Sacramento Bee
At understaffed state hospitals in California, psychiatric nurses often must work back-to-back eight-hour shifts in dangerous environments. CAPT-sponsored A.B. 529 would make overtime voluntary.
As Need Grows, States Try to Entice New Foster Parents
Pew Charitable Trusts
Beginning in April, people who’ve browsed websites on foster care will see recurring online ads espousing the joys of foster parenting — haunting the prospective parent from site to site like a new car or pair of boots.
IMMIGRATION
Is a ‘blue card’ agriculture’s immigration solution?
Business Journal
With security tightened along the U.S.-Mexico border and threats by current President Donald Trump to crack down on undocumented immigrants, there are fewer people coming here willing to work hard, often low-wage jobs in the agricultural industry.
LAND USE/HOUSING
Land Use:
A new rooftop bar is headed to a historic downtown Fresno building. Here’s what you need to know
Fresno Bee
A new bar called Quail State plans to open on a second-floor rooftop space at the historic Pacific Southwest building on Fulton Street in downtown Fresno. To start, it will focus on its drinks made with seasonal fruit and vegetables; a dinner menu will be added later.
City council approval on renovations to Merced Mall could bring big changes
abc30
Renovations to the Merced Mall have been a long time coming, and if the city council approves some final plans, the multi-million dollar plan can finally move forward. “This has never been revamped or changed. It’s long overdue,” said shopper Melissa Saltos.
New restaurants and businesses to open in River Park
abc30
The finishing touches are being made at Jpot. The restaurant and bar will serve Asian mini pots prepared at your table. The soup-like concoction will include broth and your choice of vegetables and meat or seafood.
Is that a new two-story building off Highway 180 in Tower?
Business Journal
A new fuel station and convenience store is coming to the Tower District this summer. George Beal, president of Beal Developments in Fresno, said the eight-pump Johnny Quik and Chevron station is — at the moment — looking at a June 1 opening.
Housing:
Dormitory developer offers to delay city hearing after late cancellation of community presentation
Bakersfield Californian
The developer hoping to build five-story dormitories at Stockdale Highway and Coffee Road said he will ask to postpone an upcoming hearing on the proposal after he was unable Monday to make a presentation about the project to nearby residents.
Rents stop soaring in Sacramento, and they’re still way cheaper than the Bay Area
Sacramento Bee
Among the largest 10 cities in California, Sacramento still ranks near the bottom in terms of price at a median of $1,210 for a two-bedroom apartment. San Francisco costs about $3,100 for a two-bedroom place.
How to solve homelessness in our community? It starts in this empty RT parking lot
Sacramento Bee
Our city has a crisis. Our fellow Sacramentans are living under our freeways, in our parks and throughout our neighborhoods in the cold, heat and rain. Anyone who walks downtown, drives our streets or rides on our bikeways has seen the startling increase in the number of people experiencing homelessness.
PUBLIC FINANCES
California public employees’ pension perks can be taken away, court rules
Fresno Bee
The California Supreme Court on Monday upheld a pension law that stripped a retirement perk from public employees, issuing a narrow ruling that sidestepped a bigger question about whether employers can reduce pension benefits for current workers.
See also:
● What does the California Supreme Court pension ruling mean for you?Fresno Bee
● CA high court upholds pension rollbackabc30
● California high court rules against public employees on pension benefitsSan Francisco Chronicle
● Everyone is saying they just won a big court case on pensions. What does that mean for you?CALmatters
● State Supreme Court curbs a pension benefit but preserves ‘California Rule’Los Angeles Times
● California high court rules against public employees on pension benefitsSan Francisco Chronicle
● New data detail soaring costs of California school pensionsEdSource
Where you’ll pay the most – and least – on state and local taxes in the US
Visalia Times Delta
To identify the states with the highest and lowest tax burdens, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed state and local tax burdens as a share of state residents’ income in fiscal 2012 provided by tax policy think tank Tax Foundation.
Tax Reform Unleashed the U.S. Economy
Wall Street Journal
For a midterm report card on the economy under President Trump, take a look at two recent government reports. The Commerce Department reported Thursday that real gross domestic product grew by 3.1% from the fourth quarter of 2017 to the fourth quarter of 2018—the largest rise in 13 years.
TRANSPORTATION
California calls on Trump officials to stop threats on high-speed rail funding
Fresno Bee
California high-speed rail officials on Monday called on the Trump administration to engage in constructive talks – rather than threats – over $3.5 billion in disputed federal funding for the state’s bullet train project in the Central Valley.
See also:
● California: Trump Plan To Take Back Rail Money ‘Disastrous’Capital Public Radio
● California rail authority calls Trump plan to end high-speed rail funding ‘rash and unlawful’Los Angeles Times
● California criticizes Trump plan to withhold high-speed-rail moneySan Francisco Chronicle
● High-Speed Rail in the U.S. Remains Elusive: Illinois Shows WhyWall Street Journal
Headaches certain as traffic projects start
Visalia Times Delta
After months of traffic congestion and long lines, the Goshen Avenue and Demaree Street intersection is up and running. The project, which was years in the making, widened the heavily used northwest Visalia intersection.
Disability Rights Group Sues San Diego Over Scooters On Sidewalks
Capital Public Radio
A lawsuit claims that San Diego has failed to keep rental scooters off the sidewalks, and that makes sidewalks unusable for people with disabilities.
WATER
Central Valley storm raises flooding concerns for southern Sierra Nevada
Fresno Bee
Clear skies in the Central Valley will be short-lived. Coming off a rainy weekend, the southern Sierra Nevada and nearby foothill communities are already bracing for another storm this week that could bring flooding to several communities.
See also:
● Another tornado touched down in the Valley, NWS Hanford confirmsabc30
● More rain is on the way; but how much?Bakersfield Californian
● After dry Monday, another big storm is coming. Here’s how wet Sacramento could getSacramento Bee
Irrigation districts take advantage of excess water, start deliveries to farmers
abc30
A spectacular snowpack and a series of storms in the San Joaquin Valley are bringing smiles to valley farmers’ faces. On Friday, the Fresno Irrigation District started moving water to farms in the cities of Fresno, Clovis, and their surrounding ag land.
Senator proposes $400 million lift to F-K Canal
Visalia Times Delta
At 30, Melissa Hurtado (D-Sanger) is California’s youngest female senator in history. That hasn’t stopped her from making a splash across the 559 — literally. She recently introduced Senate Bill 559 (the area code most helped by the bill) that would appropriate $400 million from the California General Fund for critical repairs to the sinking Friant-Kern Canal, if passed.
See also:
● Hurtado introduces $400 million bill to fix Friant-Kern CanalPorterville Recorder
● California should stop thinking about more dams. The state is brimming with themLos Angeles Times
“Xtra”
A new rooftop bar is headed to a historic downtown Fresno building. Here’s what you need to know
Fresno Bee
A new bar called Quail State plans to open on a second-floor rooftop space at the historic Pacific Southwest building on Fulton Street in downtown Fresno. The owners of the bar signed a lease for the space last week. They hope to open in October, with several months of construction work yet to start.
Weather permitting, Outlaws sprint cars start California swing this weekend in Tulare
Fresno Bee
The World of Outlaws national sprint car tour is set to begin its annual March swing through California this weekend in Tulare – weather permitting.
New pizza places opening: A national name, Mexican, Indian pizza coming to Clovis, Fresno
Fresno Bee
Clovis and Fresno are upping their pizza games with the opening of five new places. More than just the standard Italian fare, one of the pizza places coming to town is Marco’s Pizza, a franchise that has 900 locations worldwide.
Sensory Sensitive Sundays: Where a kid (with special needs) can be a kid
Modesto Bee
The first Sunday of the month at Chuck E. Cheese’s on Sisk Roadmeans it’s Sensory Sensitive Sunday — a program that Chuck E. Cheese’s started in early 2017 and that has been at the Modesto location about a year, said General Manager Daniel Oswald.
Restaurateurs have spoken: Here are the Valley’s Best Eateries
Business Journal
The California Restaurant Association will host its 28th annual Best of the Valley award ceremony Monday by honoring a Fresno-based pizzeria for its 57 years of achievements.
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Maddy Institute Updated List of San Joaquin Valley Elected OfficialsHERE.
The Kenneth L. Maddy Instituteat 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.
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