POLICY & POLITICS
North SJ Valley:
Villapudua, Patti hold onto county supervisor seats
Stockton Record
Miguel Villapudua and Tom Patti retained their San Joaquin County Supervisor seats, and Robert Rickman and Rhodesia Ransom will face off in November.
Other Stockton Area Elections News:
Eggman, Villapudua, McNerney, Harder lead races for seats in state Legislature, Congress Stockton Record
Strong voter contact leads to positive results for Democratic candidates Stockton Record
Democratic incumbent Harder, Republican Howze headed for November showdown
Modesto Bee
Democratic incumbent Josh Harder held a marginal lead against Republican challenger Ted Howze in Tuesday’s primary for the 10th Congressional District, which encompasses Stanislaus and southern San Joaquin counties.
Other Modesto Area Elections News:
District 10 Congressional Primary Clovis Roundup
Taxes, Medicare drive Modesto voters to 2020 primary election polls Modesto Bee
More turnover for Modesto City Council as member says she won’t seek another term Modesto Bee
Opinion: The conservative vote dominated Primary races in Stanislaus County Modesto Bee
Prosecutors open up big leads in all three races for Stanislaus County judge seats Modesto Bee
Central SJ Valley:
No one claims victory in Fresno mayor or council race, with 80,000 ballots left to count
Fresno Bee
An estimated 80,000 Fresno County ballots remained uncounted Wednesday afternoon — and that’s just the ones we know about — leaving races up in the air.
Other Fresno Area Elections News:
Andrew Janz and Jerry Dyer awaiting more results in mayoral election abc30
Janz hopeful despite lagging in Fresno mayor race Visalia Times Delta
Jerry Dyer Optimistic As Early Results In Mayoral Election Give Him Strong Lead VPR
Fresno Unified grateful for bond momentum while Clovis, Central not giving up hope yet Fresno Bee
Local school bond measures fail Hanford Sentinel
Voters appear to reject several school bond measures in Kern County Bakersfield Californian
CUSD’s Measure A Below Threshold Clovis Roundup
Tulare County Voters focused on presidential race
Visalia Times Delta
When voters hit the polls Tuesday morning at the forefront of their minds was who would be named Commander-in-Chief in January 2021.
Other Tulare Area Elections News:
Shuklian leads Maaske, Micari leads Crocker Supervisor Visalia Times Delta
Local primary election results are in Hanford Sentinel
How did voting go in central San Joaquin Valley? County clerks report
Fresno Bee
After some early voting hiccups Tuesday, voters from all corners of the central San Joaquin Valley cast their ballots on a big and busy voting day.
Madera Co. named one of the fastest growing communities
abc30
A recent study by the U.S. Department of Commerce Bureau of Economic analysis showed Madera County saw the fastest growth in the West in a medium-sized community with a 6.6% increase for its gross domestic product, which is the value of goods and services produced within the county.
State Sen. Borgeas Holds Town Hall Over AB5
Clovis Roundup
Workers and employers in several industries, including app based drivers, freelance writers, photographers and artists, to name a few, attended the event to learn how AB5 will impact them.
EDITORIAL: Fresno mayor, flipped House seat, taxpayer fatigue: Takeaways from primary election
Fresno Bee
Choosing a new mayor for Fresno, flipping a congressional seat, and taxpayer fatigue are top takeaways from Tuesday’s primary election.
South SJ Valley:
Official results for Kern County elections might not be ready until April
Bakersfield Californian
A final tally from Tuesday's local elections could be almost a month away, Kern County officials stated Wednesday.
South Valley Republicans celebrate strong Super Tuesday
Visalia Times Delta
It was a good night for current and former Republican congressmen in the South Valley. Incumbents Devin Nunes and Kevin McCarthy and challenger David Valadao each boast strong, early leads and will almost certainly progress to the General Election in November.
Other Bakersfield Area Elections News:
Valadao, McCarthy hold unofficial leads in 21st, 23rd congressional district races Bakersfield Californian
Fong, Salas maintain leads in state Assembly races Bakersfield Californian
Goh secures victory in mayor's race
Bakersfield Californian
For Bakersfield Mayor Karen Goh, the hard work paid off. Goh pummeled her opponents in the mayor's race, capturing a resounding 83.6 percent of the vote, according to unofficial elections results Wednesday on the Kern County Elections Department's website.
State:
California declares state of emergency to contain coronavirus after 1st death
Fresno Bee
California Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency over the coronavirus as a cruise ship that transported at least two infected passengers sailed toward the state Wednesday.
See also:
First California death from coronavirus: Placer County patient dies Merced Sun-Star
First VA patient with coronavirus treated in Calif., steps taken to protect veterans Sacramento Bee
California declares emergency after 1st coronavirus death Hanford Sentinel
Governor says Californians made up most of the 2,500 passengers on a cruise where new coronavirus cases were found. Porterville Recorder
California governor declares statewide emergency due to threat of new coronavirus, becoming third US state to do so. Porterville Recorder
California coronavirus fight gets federal assistance as testing and funding increase Sacramento Bee
Gov. Newsom Declares State Of Emergency After Coronavirus Death Linked To Quarantined Cruise Ship Capital Public Radio
California declares coronavirus emergency amid worries over Grand Princess cruise ship passengers Los Angeles Times
Princess Cruises ship held up off California coast with sick passengers, awaiting coronavirus tests Washington Post
First coronavirus California death tied to SF cruise ship, CDC investigating spread San Francisco Chronicle
California may be ill prepared for pandemic Business Journal
California Reports First Coronavirus Death as Symptoms Swirl on Cruise Ship New York Times
California declares coronavirus state of emergency, orders SF-bound cruise ship to remain in Pacific Politico
California declares state of emergency after first coronavirus death reported CalMatters
Voting changes, computer glitches mar California primary
Hanford Sentinel
A series of changes in California meant to boost voter turnout and smooth its new Super Tuesday primary election led to a surge in last-minute voters, computer problems and short-staffing that appeared to catch elections officials by surprise, triggering scathing criticism Wednesday.
See also:
How to track your California mail-in ballot through the counting process Sacramento Bee
Half Of California’s Votes May Still Need To Be Counted, Election And Campaign Experts Say Capital Public Radio
California contests still in flux after Super Tuesday Roll Call
Embrace the uncertainty: Waiting for results during California’s “election month” CalMatters
L.A. County supervisors want answers to widespread voting problems Los Angeles Times
How California's wave of uncounted ballots could swing results Politico
Fate unclear for $15 billion California school upgrade bond
Hanford Sentinel
A $15 billion bond to renovate California's aging schools trailed in election returns Wednesday, but the gap was expected to close as several million outstanding votes were counted.
See also:
Fate Of Huge California Bond To Update School Facilities Hangs In Balance Capital Public Radio
$15 billion California school bond championed by Gov. Gavin Newsom behind in early returns Sacramento Bee
Republicans hope for US House turnaround in California
Porterville Recorder
A pair of California Republicans were leading Democratic incumbents Wednesday in battleground congressional districts as the GOP tries to position itself to win back a string of U.S. House seats it lost two years ago.
See also:
Republicans are ahead in two of the California House seats lost in 2018. Will it last? Los Angeles Times
California GOP makes strong bid to flip back House seats it lost in 2018 San Francisco Chronicle
Lyft and Uber Start Spending to Unseat California Legislators
Wall Street Journal
After losing a difficult battle in Sacramento last year over a law that could classify their drivers as full-time employees, Lyft Inc. and Uber Technologies Inc. are signaling they are ready to spend big against California legislators who opposed them.
Interactive: Many Californians Live in or Near Poverty
Public Policy Institute of California
More than 7 million Californians are “near poor”: out of poverty, but within 1.5 times the poverty line, according to the California Poverty Measure. The near-poor population is slightly larger than the poor population, and many could be pushed into poverty by small expenses.
Walters: Newsom’s high-stakes Medi-Cal overhaul
CalMatters
The old adage about tiny acorns growing into mighty oak trees is not confined to dendrology. It applies as well to governmental programs and there’s no better example than Medi-Cal, California’s program of health care for the poor.
Federal:
House Passes Bipartisan Bill Providing Roughly $8 Billion For Coronavirus Response
Capital Public Radio
The emergency funding deal is the result of bipartisan negotiations in both the House and the Senate. The measure is expected to be sent to the president's desk soon.
See also:
Vice President Pence gives update on Coronavirus Task Force Fresno Bee
Coronavirus death toll rises to 10 in Washington; Pence to travel to state Thursday Sacramento Bee
Paid sick leave left out of Congress’ coronavirus package San Francisco Chronicle
House OKs $8.3 billion coronavirus aid package with little debate Roll Call
The health system is showing why it’s not ready for a coronavirus pandemic Washington Post
Opinion: Coronavirus Is What You Get When You Ignore Science New York Times
The Census Bureau Wasn’t Counting on the Coronavirus
CityLab
As census takers for the decennial survey prepare to knock on doors and count residents, anxieties about the spread of COVID-19 could hamper their efforts.
See also:
How to Lose a Seat in 10 Years New York Times
Supreme Court Weighs Abortion Case; Schumer Remarks Draw Rebuke From Roberts
Capital Public Radio
Lawyers for the Center for Reproductive Rights and Louisiana faced a hot bench Wednesday in a case critical to abortion rights in the U.S. But the Chief Justice - a key vote - did not tip his hand.
See also:
Chief Justice Roberts denounces senator for attacks on Justices Gorsuch and Kavanaugh Los Angeles Times
An emboldened Trump says the quiet part out loud about why he fired Jeff Sessions
Washington Post
Trump is now publicly acknowledging something he spent years not quite saying: that he fired Sessions specifically because Sessions didn’t stop the inquiry by special counsel Robert S. Mueller III. The implication is that Sessions wasn’t loyal to Trump and what Trump wanted to happen in the Justice Department.
Elections 2020:
Warren ends 2020 presidential bid after Super Tuesday rout
Sacramento Bee
Elizabeth Warren, who electrified progressives with her “plan for everything” and strong message of economic populism, dropped out of the Democratic presidential race on Thursday, according to a person familiar with her plans. The exit came days after the onetime front-runner couldn't win a single Super Tuesday state, not even her own.
See also:
Skelton: Has gender bias helped Bernie Sanders outperform Elizabeth Warren with voters? Seems like it Los Angeles Times
Warren, Sanders allies scramble to find her an exit ramp Washington Post
Sen. Elizabeth Warren to end presidential campaign Washington Post
Elizabeth Warren to drop out Politico
Warren drops presidential bid Roll Call
Sen. Elizabeth Warren ends presidential campaign Washington Post
California delegate wave didn't quite break as expected
Hanford Sentinel
While Sen. Bernie Sanders mined the motherlode of delegates from California on Super Tuesday, it wasn’t nearly enough and isn’t getting counted fast enough to counter former Vice President Joe Biden’s huge night. It became an issue of numbers and timing.
Sanders Wins California, Largest Super Tuesday Prize, Fueled By Latino Vote
VPR
Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders captured the state with the most delegates: California. There are 415 delegates at stake in California, the largest haul of any state. With 79% of the state's precincts reporting, Sanders had 33.5% of the vote to Biden's 24.8%.
See also:
Bernie Sanders’ challenge: Win friends and influence Democrats San Francisco Chronicle
Latino wave put Bernie Sanders on top in California Los Angeles Times
Fact-checking Bernie Sanders’ attacks on Joe Biden over trade, Social Security differences PolitiFact
Opinion: If Sanders loses the nomination, will you be as stupid as 1968 me was? Washington Post
‘November he will win!’: Inside Planet Bernie’s defiant, Phish-fueled, down-with-the-man Super Tuesday party Washington Post
Sanders’s Super Tuesday ‘contrast’ with Biden Washington Post
Who could Joe Biden pick for a running mate? Women make up the most obvious options
Fresno Bee
With former Vice President Joe Biden’s victories on Super Tuesday, many are wondering who could pick as a running mate, and when, if he ends up clinching the nomination over Sens. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren.
See also:
Biden’s victories unleash something he’s never had: Money Fresno Bee
Biden names new national co-chair, looking to capitalize on Super Tuesday abc30
How winning turned Biden into a confident candidate Porterville Recorder
Joe Biden not so ‘sleepy’ when Fox News plays it straight on Super Tuesday Los Angeles Times
Black voters, ‘Whole Foods moms’ and an anti-Trump base: Biden builds coalition that could boost Democrats in November Washington Post
Buttigieg, Klobuchar and now Bloomberg are out. What happens to their delegates?
Fresno Bee
Former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg is the third candidate this week to end their bid for the Democratic presidential nomination — right behind former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, Pete Buttigieg and U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota.
See also:
Michael Bloomberg, after exiting race and endorsing Biden, says he’s committed to beating Trump Los Angeles Times
California delegate count: Latest totals for Bernie Sanders and Joe Biden Sacramento Bee
Mike Bloomberg helped Democrats win the House in 2018. Will he still spend in 2020 too? Roll Call
Biden and Sanders both would face stark challenges running against Trump
Los Angeles Times
Bernie Sanders and Joe Biden both need to recalibrate and — to some extent — rebrand to broaden their appeal and unify an increasingly fractured party. Can either assemble the kind of coalition needed to beat President Trump in November?
See also:
Biden, Sanders Look to Next Contests as Bloomberg Exits Wall Street Journal
Where the 2020 presidential candidates stand on the issues Visalia Times Delta
Column: It’s Bernie vs. Biden. Let the slugfest begin Los Angeles Times
Opinion: The Force Unifying Democrats? It’s Donald Trump Wall Street Journal
EDITORIAL: Super Tuesday is finally over. Now the real battle for the Democratic Party’s soul begins Los Angeles Times
Who could Joe Biden pick for a running mate? Women make up the most obvious options
Fresno Bee
With former Vice President Joe Biden’s victories on Super Tuesday, many are wondering who could pick as a running mate, and when, if he ends up clinching the nomination over Sens. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren.
See also:
Biden’s victories unleash something he’s never had: Money Fresno Bee
Biden names new national co-chair, looking to capitalize on Super Tuesday abc30
How winning turned Biden into a confident candidate Porterville Recorder
Joe Biden not so ‘sleepy’ when Fox News plays it straight on Super Tuesday Los Angeles Times
Black voters, ‘Whole Foods moms’ and an anti-Trump base: Biden builds coalition that could boost Democrats in November Washington Post
Other:
Twitter Vows That As Disinformation Tactics Change, Its Policies Will Keep Pace
Capital Public Radio
Twitter's new policy attempts to flag and provide greater context for content that the platform believes to have been "significantly and deceptively altered or fabricated."
Opinion: American dreams, populist screams
AEI
Is the American Dream dead? How are most Americans actually doing? Will the coronavirus kill us all? And most importantly, is Star Trek: Picard actually good? Repeat guest Michael Strain, author of The American Dream Is Not Dead, has all of these answers and more.
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
Merced County declares emergency, as cattle carcasses pile up from rendering plant issue
Merced Sun-Star
A local emergency was declared in Merced County after two separate livestock rendering plants serving the area suffered equipment problems within a week of each other, causing animal carcasses to pile up.
Path toward legalizing local cannabis sales dealt potential fatal blow
Bakersfield Californian
With the apparent failure of two medical marijuana initiatives on Tuesday’s ballot, a path toward legalizing sales of the medicinal product has once again been cut off.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE/FIRE/PUBLIC SAFETY
Crime:
Cannabis smell in vehicle by itself not reason to conduct search, Alameda court rules
San Francisco Chronicle
The odor of marijuana in a car that police in Berkeley stopped for other reasons wasn’t enough to justify a full-blown search of the vehicle now that California has legalized possession of cannabis by adults, an appellate panel has ruled.
Public Safety:
Prosecutors open up big leads in all three races for Stanislaus County judge seats
Modesto Bee
Returns on Wednesday had the three prosecutors running for Stanislaus Superior Court judge seats ahead in each of their respective races.
SF police moving too slowly on reform, but use-of-force down 47%, report says
San Francisco Chronicle
The San Francisco Police Department is compliant with fewer than 15% of the reforms it pledged to adopt nearly four years ago, progress that’s moving too slowly and delaying its promise to the community to transform policing in the city, officials with the state Department of Justice wrote in a report released Wednesday.
US Attorney Threatens Legal Action if San Francisco Opens Supervised Injection Sites
KQED
The warning comes in response to a bill recently proposed by San Francisco Mayor London Breed and Supervisor Matt Haney that would allow nonprofits in the city to open and operate the injection sites, where drug users could also receive medical assistance and rehabilitation services.
ECONOMY/JOBS
Economy:
Madera Co. named one of the fastest growing communities
abc30
A recent study by the U.S. Department of Commerce Bureau of Economic analysis showed Madera County saw the fastest growth in the West in a medium-sized community with a 6.6% increase for its gross domestic product, which is the value of goods and services produced within the county.
Coronavirus's economic policy challenge
The Hill
At a time of crisis, economic policymakers are well advised to hope for the best but to plan for the worst. This advice could not be more apt than now, when the coronavirus epidemic threatens the U.S. and global economic recoveries.
See also:
What should a fiscal response to a COVID-19 outbreak look like? Brookings
Coronavirus fears drive surge in deliveries San Francisco Chronicle
World stocks mixed after Wall Street sinks despite rate cut
Fresno Bee
Global stock markets were mixed Wednesday after Wall Street sank despite an emergency U.S. interest cut aimed at defusing fears the virus outbreak might stunt global economic activity.
See also:
U.S. Stocks Fall as Anxiety About Virus Fallout Returns Wall Street Journal
U.S. markets flash across-the-board declines as coronavirus outlook worsens Washington Post
Jobs:
CAL/OSHA Issues Interim Guidance for Protecting Workers from Exposure to Coronavirus
AALRR
Cal/OSHA’s regulations require protection for workers exposed to airborne infectious diseases such as the 2019 novel (new) coronavirus (2019-nCoV), first identified in Wuhan City, China in December 2019.
Coronavirus: Microsoft, Square, Twitter encourage employees to work from home
San Francisco Chronicle
Major Bay Area employers are telling employees to work from home to lessen the chance of spreading the new coronavirus, a concern that is growing among their workforces after an Amazon employee in Seattle tested positive for the virus.
See also
Business Journal
In response to what a press release from the Communication Workers of America calls “systemic problems of discrimination, low-wages, extreme sales goals, and whistleblower retaliation,” a majority of workers at the Oakland, California-based Beneficial State Bank voted to join the union dubbed the Committee for Better Banks.
Mortgage brokers are hiring like mad as home-loan rates plunge below 3%
Los Angeles Times
A drop in interest rates in response to the coronavirus outbreak is adding urgency to a hiring spree across the mortgage industry.
EDUCATION
K-12:
Fresno Unified grateful for bond momentum while Clovis, Central not giving up hope yet
Fresno Bee
The day after polls closed, Fresno Unified’s school bond was passing and picking up momentum, while bonds for Clovis and Central Unified lagged below the needed 55% threshold required to pass.
See also:
Local school bond measures fail Hanford Sentinel
Voters appear to reject several school bond measures in Kern County Bakersfield Californian
CUSD’s Measure A Below Threshold Clovis Roundup
Fate unclear for $15 billion California school upgrade bond
Hanford Sentinel
A $15 billion bond to renovate California's aging schools trailed in election returns Wednesday, but the gap was expected to close as several million outstanding votes were counted.
See also:
Fate Of Huge California Bond To Update School Facilities Hangs In Balance Capital Public Radio
$15 billion California school bond championed by Gov. Gavin Newsom behind in early returns Sacramento Bee
Our Lady of Victory set to close after operating for 67 years
abc30
Sixty-seven years of education will come to an end at Our Lady of Victory. The Catholic school plans to close following the current academic year.
CalMatters
Today, in middle schools across California and the country, many students struggle to balance the weight of rigorous academic coursework, extracurricular commitments, and social obligations with peers, all of which occur after the final bell rings.
Higher Ed:
Fresno State Parent University is changing the lives of Valley families
California Emerging Technology Fund
San Joaquin Valley families are our most precious resource. To help our families and communities thrive, California State University, Fresno's Office of Community and Economic Development is offering Parent University, a free program for parents to learn new digital skills so they can find good jobs, communicate with their children's teachers, get access to healthcare and government services and be engaged members of the community.
Will Fresno-area college kids save bus pass program if elected officials don’t?
Fresno Bee
For many Fresno-area college students, the bus is their only way to get to school. Thousands of low-income students have relied on the free bus program provided by the State Center Community College District since 2017.
California colleges cancel study abroad programs, hundreds return
San Francisco Chronicle
Hundreds of California students are returning home early from study abroad programs because of coronavirus outbreaks in China, South Korea, and Italy.
ENVIRONMENT/ ENERGY
Giant batteries, key to solar and wind power plans, start to get bank backing
Los Angeles Times
Big batteries have long been touted as the future of the electrical grid and a key to unlocking solar and wind power. But when entrepreneur David Cieminis sought financing for a storage project in California, a state desperate to wean itself off of fossil fuels, he couldn’t reel in a bank.
HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES
Health:
Valley health officials working to ease public tension with Coronavirus
abc30
As fears surrounding the Coronavirus spread, Valley public health officials are working to ease public tension.
See also:
Do local hospitals have enough isolation rooms? Visalia Times Delta
Man being screened for coronavirus at Sierra View Porterville Recorder
SJ Delta student exposed to coronavirus Stockton Record
COVID-19: people most at risk for getting coronavirus Sacramento Bee
How does coronavirus spread? What to know about transmission Sacramento Bee
What is coronavirus: Symptoms, how it spreads, how to avoid it Washington Post
Valley Children’s limiting visitors because of potential spread of coronavirus
Fresno Bee
Valley Children’s Hospital announced a change to its visitors policy Wednesday because of concerns of the coronavirus. Effective immediately, only parents/guardians and direct caregivers of patients will be allowed to visit Valley Children’s for the time being.
See also:
Drug’s possible mental health effects now require it to carry FDA’s most serious warning
Fresno Bee
A Boxed Warning, the most prominent and serious of FDA warnings about prescription drugs, will adorn packages of asthma and allergy medicine montelukast (brand name: Singulair), the agency announced Wednesday.
Human Services:
San Joaquin General nurses set to walk off job after impasse in negotiations
Stockton Record
Registered nurses at San Joaquin General Hospital who are members of the California Nurses Association are scheduled to walk off the job for 48 hours starting at 7 a.m. Thursday through 6:59 a.m. Saturday, according to their union notice.
Trump administration issues new guidance for nursing homes to combat coronavirus
The Hill
The Trump administration on Wednesday issued new guidance to prioritize inspection efforts at nursing homes around the country in an attempt to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus.
IMMIGRATION
Court blocks 'Remain in Mexico' policy on part of US border
Porterville Recorder
In the latest twist on a key Trump administration immigration policy, a federal appeals court said it will prevent the government from making asylum-seekers wait in Mexico for U.S. court hearings starting next week unless the Supreme Court steps in sooner.
See also:
Trump gets more time to take asylum policy to high court San Francisco Chronicle
LAND USE/HOUSING
Land Use:
The Tyranny of Terrazzo: Will the millennial aesthetic ever end?
The Cut
Ever since modernism brought industry into design, tastes have cycled between embracing and rejecting what it wrought.
Housing:
California Housing Crisis Podcast: Former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger wants to fix homelessness
Los Angeles Times
Now the head of a public affairs institute at USC, Schwarzenegger last month gathered public officials and experts from across the country to debate what to do about California’s homeless population, which now stands at about 151,000 on any given night.
PUBLIC FINANCES
Report: California Budget Perspective 2020-21
California Budget & Policy Center
It’s been several weeks since Governor Gavin Newsom released his proposed 2020-21 budget, and now Senate and Assembly budget subcommittees start their work on the state’s upcoming fiscal plan, including holding public hearings and reviewing proposals to determine how money will be spent on programs and Californians.
TRANSPORTATION
Ed Lab: Will Fresno-area college kids save bus pass program if elected officials don’t?
Fresno Bee
Thousands of low-income students have relied on the free bus program provided by the State Center Community College District since 2017. But district administrators decided to cut the program and use the money to pave campus parking lots.
See also:
Open house to discuss Bakersfield’s High Speed Rail route
KGET
Representatives with the California High-Speed Rail Authority will be in Bakersfield Thursday to answer questions and listen to comments on the project.
States Take The Wheel Promoting Electric Vehicles
Capital Public Radio
There are nearly 1.5 million electric vehicles in the U.S. today. E.V. boosters want more government incentives to increase that. With little federal movement states like California are taking action.
GM plunges deeper into the EV market with a $20-billion spending plan
Los Angeles Times
General Motors laid out an aggressive electric vehicle strategy Wednesday, an approach it hopes will dramatically boost sales in California.
WATER
Tom McCarthy named new head of Kern County Water Agency
Bakersfield Californian
Tom McCarthy, head of the Mojave Water Agency, was named as the new general manager for the Kern County Water Agency at its board of directors meeting Thursday.
Water is life. It’s also a battle. So what does the future hold for California?
CalMatters
Water plays a lead role in the state’s political theater, with Democrats and Republicans polarized, farmers often fighting environmentalists and cities pitted against rural communities.
“Xtra”
Fresno State welcomes Face the Nation moderator Margaret Brennan
Fresno State
Ms. Brennan will draw on her extensive experience as a journalist and moderator to provide an overview of the most important stories that drive the 24-hour news cycle. During her talk, she will also draw parallels between domestic and foreign stories to bridge the gap between the local and the global. The event with Ms. Brennan is scheduled for 6 p.m. on March 17 at the Save Mart Center and will be followed by a question-and-answer session from 6:30 to 7:15 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.
How Can We Make Farm Work Healthier?
Zócalo Public Square
On Tuesday, April 14th, Organic farmer and artist Nikiko Masumoto, Huron Mayor Rey León, health researcher Chia Thao, and Tania Pacheco-Werner, co-assistant director of the Central Valley Health Policy Institute, visit Zócalo to consider how to make farm work healthier.
Manteca’s new water park resort is opening earlier than expected. Take a look inside
Fresno Bee
While it took more than a decade of planning, negotiating and building for Manteca to get Great Wolf Lodge, the water park resort will now open a full month ahead of schedule.
See also:
Winter hikes: Want a snowy day trip? Here are some great options in the Sierra Nevada
Merced Sun-Star
Hiking in the Sierra Nevada mountains can be super busy in the summer but winter provides an interesting escape for a view of California that many hikers never get to see.
Huge dinosaurs stomp on Gallo Center stage, more top Modesto region entertainment
Modesto Bee
This interactive family show follows as an explorer discovers the pre-historic world of dinosaurs. Among the creatures on stage will be a Tyrannosaurus Rex, Triceratops, Giraffatitan, Microraptor and Segnosaurus.
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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.
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