May 14, 2018

14May

POLICY & POLITICS

 

Valley:

 

EDITORIAL: Denham will be there in November, but who will face him? It's a hard choice

Modesto Bee

Jeff Denham is going to be hard to beat. That was true before he raised $2.4 million to defend his seat representing California’s 10th Congressional District.

 

Suspicions, Demands and Threats: Devin Nunes vs. the Justice Dept.

New York Times

Since Republicans on the House Intelligence Committee declared that they had found no evidence of coordination between Russia’s election interference and the Trump campaign, its chairman has decisively turned the panel’s attention from investigation to investigators.

 

Gustine city leaders defending hiring of terminated police officer

ABC30

The city of Gustine is defending a controversial police hire. Officer Shawn Osborne was sworn into office last week, two years after he was fired from the Alameda County Sheriff's Office.

 

Hanford to talk crosswalk removal, Sanctuary State bill

Hanford Sentinel

The Hanford City Council has a relatively short agenda for its regular meeting Tuesday, but a few of the items are heavy in nature.

 

Stebbins says lack of respect behind city’s biggest challenges

Stockton Record

Unlike his opponents for the Stockton City Council’s District 5 seat — and unlike other candidates running for local office — Mark Stebbins doesn’t believe crime is an issue the city faces.

 

Fugazi says partnerships will help city tackle biggest issues

Stockton Record

While one candidate for Stockton City Council’s District 5 seat doesn’t believe a crime problem exists, the incumbent says current records show otherwise.

 

EDITORIAL: The Record endorses Sol Jobrack for Stockton City Council District 1

Stockton Record

Of the three candidates running to be Elbert Holman’s successor on Stockton City Council, Sol Jobrack’s experience on the Stockton Planning Commission gives him better insight and understanding of the governmental process, experience that will enable him to assimilate more quickly, smoothly and effectively than the other candidates.

 

State:

 

An ungiddy governor proposes stashing most of state's surplus—and spending on one-time expenses

CALmatters

California’s strong economy is not going to last, and Gov. Jerry Brown says he is doing everything he can to safeguard against the next recession.

See also:

     Walters: Jerry Brown holds the line in last budget CALmatters

     California Projects $9 Billion ‘May Revise’ Budget Surplus As Gov. Jerry Brown Continues To Urge Fiscal Prudence capradio.org

     Jerry Brown’s Budget has $100 million surprise for West Sacramento and California Indians Sacramento Bee

     Gov. Brown’s May Revise makes clear California has a spending problem, not a revenue problem OCRegister

     California Business Roundtable Issues Statement on Governor's May Revise California Business Roundtable

     Chris Hoene on the Governor’s May Revision: A Lot to Like, but There Is Still Room for Investment in Key Areas That Help Broaden Opportunity California Budget Center

     California Budget Swells To Almost $200B The Hill

 

Walters: Sometimes nice California governors do finish first

The Mercury News

Deukmejian came into the governorship with modest goals – fight crime with tougher sentencing laws and new prisons and erase the budget deficit he inherited from his Democratic predecessor, Jerry Brown. And he did both.

See also:

     EDITORIAL: Former Gov. George Deukmejian’s life was well-lived OCRegister

 

California lurches left, as Jerry Brown heads into the sunset

OCRegister

We’ve known this day was coming: the end of the Jerry Brown administration. For all of Gov. Moonbeam’s flaws, those of us with conservative, libertarian or moderate leanings know that the state government is losing the last adult in charge.

 

There's a California election coming up. But if history is any guide, most voters won't show up

Los Angeles Times

The history of modern California politics suggests as many as two-thirds of those voters won't even cast a ballot next month. That's a civic dilemma, sure enough. But there's also a good chance the no-shows will affect one party's candidates in heated races for Congress differently than all others.

See also:

      Democrats are using a new strategy to prevent a primary shutout in California Los Angeles Times

      Listen to May 11: The Candidates Debate in Podcasts iTunes

      Facebook, Instagram ads target Gavin Newsom over past relationships with women Sacramento Bee

     John Chiang attacks Antonio Villaraigosa's record as LA mayor in new campaign ad Los Angeles Times

      How California Could Bust Up the Two-Party System The New York Times

      What You Need to Know About Voter Registration and Turnout This Midterm Season Roll Call

 

Candidates spend big in California lieutenant governor race

Sacramento Bee

California Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom once joked his job doesn't involve much governing, but that's not stopping candidates from shelling out millions of dollars to replace him.

 

CA lawmakers oppose funding increase for oil, gas regulator

The Sacramento Bee

A group of California lawmakers wants to block a funding increase for the regulatory agency that oversees the state's oil and gas industry, unless it tackles a backlog of applications for dozens of drilling projects.

 

Job Killer Update: CalChamber Identifies 28th Bill

Cal Chamber

The California Chamber of Commerce today added SB 993 (Hertzberg) to its job killer list, bringing the total number of job killers to 28. The latest bill will be considered as a special order of business in the Senate Governance and Finance Committee on May 16.

 

EDITORIAL: California government agencies suing state citizens who just want facts

OCRegister

When the people of California want to know what their government is doing, they shouldn’t be at risk of having to pay half a million dollars in attorney’s fees and court costs just for asking.

 

Federal:

 

Trump Open To Negotiations With Calif. On Auto Gas Mileage

capradio.org

Addressing a key concern for manufacturers, President Donald Trump instructed his administration to explore negotiations with California on achieving a single fuel economy standard for the nation during a meeting with auto industry executives Friday.

 

Eric Garcetti, still weighing a presidential run, delivers commencement address in New Hampshire

Los Angeles Times

Garcetti flew east Saturday, speaking to graduates at Southern New Hampshire University the next morning before returning to Los Angeles, where he faces a homelessness crisis and a decision on who will be the city's next police chief.

 

Harris isn’t up for election this year, but she’s popular for endorsements

San Francisco Chronicle

When it comes to Democratic endorsements, U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris appears to be the hottest “get” in next month’s primary. Harris’s face is showing up on 26 Democratic candidates’ mailers and TV ads, including those for Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom and Alameda County District Attorney Nancy O’Malley.

 

DCCC Takes Sides to Avoid Shutout in Crowded California Primary

Roll Call

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is taking sides in a crowded California primary in the 48th District, backing businessman Harley Rouda, in an attempt to avoid a nightmare scenario of being shut out of the November ballot.

 

A Surge of Women Candidates, but Crowded Primaries and Tough Races Await

New York Times

Just as the women’s marches and #MeToo helped define 2017, the surging numbers of female candidates have defined the midterm races now underway. Yet for all that, the November elections may not produce a similar surge in the number of women in Congress.

See also:

      #MeToo in the Statehouse: At Least 16 Men Are Gone, But the Harassment Culture Isn’t PEW Charitable Trust

 

Podcast: Conservatives Fight Trump on Trade When Congress Won't

Roll Call

As tensions mount over several Trump administration trade initiatives, CQ’s Shawn Zeller talks with Bryan Riley of the National Taxpayers Union, which is part of a coalition of conservative groups that oppose President Donald Trump’s policies.

 

Editorial: Scott Pruitt Should Resign from the EPA

Weekly Standard

There were two reasons for their determination. First, President Donald Trump’s EPA administrator sought to roll back what Pruitt correctly believed to be costly and deleterious environmental regulations. We held him to be largely right on that score, and still do.

 

At FDA, TVs now turned to Fox News and can't be switched

CBS News

CBS News has confirmed an email was sent to researchers at the FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research responding to apparent efforts to change the channel on internal television screens.

 

Supreme Court Strikes Down Federal Sports-Betting Ban

National Review

The decision clears the way for states nationwide to legalize the practice as they see fit.

 

Other:

 

Listen to Why we love to like junk news that reaffirms our beliefs in Podcasts

PBS News Hour

Listen to Why we love to like junk news that reaffirms our beliefs from PBS NewsHour - Segments in Podcasts.

 

How misinformation spreads on social media—And what to do about it

Brookings

As widespread as the problem is, opportunities to glimpse misinformation in action are fairly rare. Most users who generate misinformation do not share accurate information too, so it can be difficult to tease out the effect of misinformation itself.

 

How congressional politics drive the net neutrality debate

Brookings

The ongoing national debate over the Federal Communications Commission’s net neutrality rules started a new chapter this week. Senate Democrats, led by Senator Ed Markey (D-Mass.), filed a petition that will force a vote on overturning the Commission’s 2017 decision to undo rules from the Obama administration.

 

Silicon Valley Faces Regulatory Fight on Its Home Turf

New York Times

If the initiative, called The California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018, passes, privacy advocates say it will be one of the most meaningful checks in the United States on the growing power of internet behemoths.

 

Why do we reward bullies?
AEI

If we hate bullies, why are they rewarded in the public sphere with fame, attention and even electoral success? Why aren’t they repudiated?

 

EDITORIAL: Thumbs up, thumbs down: Amazing students, poor condom retailing practice

Fresno Bee

Thumbs up, thumbs down. 

 

Houchin Blood Bank thanks high school students who 'Give it Up' for a healthy blood supply

Bakersfield Californian

If you would like Kern County to maintain an adequate emergency blood supply, you might consider thanking a high school student.

 

 

MADDY INSTITUTE PUBLIC POLICY PROGRAMMING  

 

Sunday, May 20, at 10 a.m. on ABC 30 – Maddy Report“Candidate for Governor: Delaine Eastin”​ – Guest: Delaine Eastin, Former State Superintendent of Public Instruction and Candidate for Governor. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.

 

Sunday, May 20, at 10 a.m. on Newstalk 580AM/105.9FM (KMJ) – Maddy Report ​ - Valley Views Edition​: “Gubernatorial Candidate Delaine Eastin & The Price of Education”  – Guests: Delaine Eastin and Judy Lin, CALmatters Reporter. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.

 

Sunday, May 20, at 7:30 a.m. on UniMas 61 (KTTF) – El Informe Maddy: “Race for Governor: Amanda Renteria”  Guest: Amanda Renteria. Host: Maddy Institute Program Coordinator, Maria Jeans.

 

Support the Maddy Daily HERE.

 

Thank you!

 

 

AGRICULTURE/FOOD

 

Valley congressmen should speak up for farmers of color in the 2018 Farm Bill

Fresno Bee

Valley congressmen should speak up for the well-funded, transparent 2501 program that farmers of color deserve. Ensuring they no longer lag behind their white counterparts is the right thing to do, and it will contribute to the growth and prosperity that the Valley needs.

See also:

       Time to Draw a Line on Food Stamps  National Review

 

Madera meat company was put on notice by USDA twice. PETA wants criminal investigation

Fresno Bee

PETA is calling for legal actions against JJ Meat Company. In a letter sent to Madera County District Attorney David Linn (and local media), the group called for an investigation into the company to determine if charges can be filed.

 

GMO Foods Will Soon Require Labels. What Will the Labels Say?

New York Times

The United States Department of Agriculture has proposed new guidelinesfor labeling foods that contain genetically modified ingredients. Food makers will be required by federal law to use the labels, starting in 2020.

 

Cod and ‘Immune Broth’: California Tests Food as Medicine

New York Times

On a foggy afternoon, Diana Van Ry, a retired judicial assistant, dropped by the boisterous kitchens of the nonprofit group where she volunteers to pick up rock cod, cauliflower couscous and an “immune broth” enriched with vegetables and seaweed. She planned to deliver the meals to Brandi Dornan, 46, who is recuperating from breast cancer.

 

 

California Cannabis Regulations Make Shippers Report to the Feds

WIRED

To truck marijuana around the Golden State, you might have to register your vehicle with a federal government that's not too keen on your new small business.

 

CRIMINAL JUSTICE​ ​/​ ​FIRE​ ​/​ ​PUBLIC SAFETY

 

Crime:

 

California DAs don't yet agree on how to prosecute Golden State Killer

Visalia Times-Delta

Prosecutors around California, thrilled to have the man they believe is the Golden State Killer in custody, now must decide what to do with him.

 

Jail expansion project, Day Reporting Center nearly complete

Hanford Sentinel

After expanding to house more offenders, the Kings County Jail is expanding once more to provide new services and programs.

 

CDCR, Delta College partnership brings classes to incarcerated youth

Stockton Record

The face-to-face college classes, which were first offered in the fall of 2017, are a first for a Northern California youth correctional facility, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. The data collection on recidivism has shown the higher the education level obtained by offenders, the lower their recidivism rate, according to CDCR.

 

Public Safety:

 

Boating Council offers safety tips as warmer weather approaches, more people take to the water

The Bakersfield Californian

As both warmer weather and National Safe Boating Week (May 19-25) are approaching, the National Safe Boating Council has issued a number of recommendations to avoid injury while out on the water.

 

As more older Americans struggle with dementia, what happens to their guns?

Los Angeles Times

As a patient's memory falters and cognitive skills fade, what is to become of the firearms that have long been a source of pride and a mark of responsible adulthood? These are the questions that a group of physicians challenged their colleagues to discuss with their patients, in an essay published this week in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

 

Fire:

 

Fire in Madera County prompts warning

ABC30

A fire near Cascadel Woods caused some anxious moments Friday night before it was brought under control. The fire burned a half-acre. Its cause is still under investigation, said Cal Fire Capt. Martin Lawler.

 

Listen to More to the Story: Wildfires in Podcasts

iTunes

The official free download of the award-winning radio program “Reveal,” produced by The Center for Investigative Reporting and PRX.

 

ECONOMY / JOBS

 

Economy:

 

California cuts 1 million from its poverty ranks, by one measure

OCRegister

California is an expensive place to live, and the state’s lofty poverty levels as revealed by several measurements certainly reinforces the pain of heavy cost burdens.

 

The Pleasure and Pain of Being California, the World’s 5th-Largest Economy

California Business Roundtable

When a transportation agency said two years ago that rush hours were a thing of the past on a major highway in the San Francisco Bay Area, it was not good news.

See also:

     Putting America's enormous $19.4T economy into perspective by comparing US state GDPs to entire countries AEI

 

US business fears a rapid Trump trade deal with China

Financial Times

American business leaders are increasingly concerned that Donald Trump may strike a rapid deal with Beijing on reducing the US trade deficit.

 

Has our economy fully recovered from depths of the Great Recession?

AEI

What are we to make of an economy where more and more people are employed, and yet wages and take-home pay are failing to take off?

 

Jobs:

 

Fresno jury says Chipotle owes former manager $7.97 million for wrongful termination

Fresno Bee

On Thursday, Fresno County Superior Court jurors ordered Chipotle to pay Ortiz nearly $8 million in damages, ruling that she was not a thief, but was a victim of a scheme to fire and defame her for filing a worker's compensation claim for a job-related injury to her wrist caused by carpal tunnel syndrome.

 

Price jump spurs oilfield activity, hopes of local hiring

Bakersfield Californian

Surging petroleum prices have reinvigorated local oilfield activity to the point that unless there's a drop-off in the next few months, Kern County may soon begin to recover the thousands of jobs lost during the downturn of 2014.

 

Why Americans Aren’t Feeling Wage Gains

Wall Street Journal

Rising inflation rates are eating up more of U.S. workers’ paychecks. Average hourly pay for private-sector workers, adjusted for inflation, was flat in April from a month earlier, the Labor Department said Thursday.

 

Every Democrat Should Back Bernie Sanders’s New Labor Bill

New York Times

The Democratic Party’s official mission is to win elections for its candidates — and “a better deal” for American workers. Strengthening America’s labor unions would advance both of those goals, simultaneously.

See also:

     Democrats Lean Into Labor Issues Slate

     Likely 2020 Democratic Candidates Want To Guarantee A Job To Every American NPR

 

EDUCATION

 

K-12:

 

Former student arrested after threatening to shoot up Central High School prom

ABC30

A social media post that contained a threat circulated--telling students to wear vests and stating they plan to shoot up prom. Fresno Police and sheriff's deputies were able to locate and arrest the person responsible for the threat.

 

Students step into a world of opportunities

Hanford Sentinel

The Business Technology Center (BTC) is a one-stop center that provides a program designed to prepare students for office employment. The BTC offers comprehensive training in basic business skills, as well as opportunities to upgrade and expand office competencies.

 

Local high school graduations begin this week, continue through early June

The Bakersfield Californian

Expect plenty of tears, hugs and smiles on the part of both students and parents the next few weeks as high school graduations are celebrated throughout Kern County.

 

Supporting school libraries a real no-brainer

San Francisco Chronicle

“Studies prove of anything you can put in a school, a school library is the single most effective thing at closing the achievement gap,” said Andrea Kneeland, a teacher librarian in her first year at Frick Impact Academy in East Oakland.

 

The rise of restorative justice in California schools brings promise, controversy

EdSource

Restorative justice facilitators are charged with changing the district’s approach to behavioral issues through restorative practices. This work departs from traditional school discipline in that it focuses less on punishment and more on righting wrongs and building healthy relationships within the school.

 

The financial stress of teaching in regions of fast economic growth

Brookings

This report highlights the financial stress facing teachers in regions of fast economic growth and high property values. Teachers in the San Francisco Bay Area report far greater financial anxiety than do samples of adults and workers from across the nation.

 

Charter Schools Point toward a Better Education for All

National Review

As National Charter Schools Week wraps up, new data show charters' potential to improve educational

 

Higher Ed:

 

Gov. Brown offers $200 million for university repairs, advances community college reforms

EdSource

Gov. Jerry Brown took a carrot-and-stick approach Friday to ensuring that the University of California and the California State University systems do not raise their undergraduate tuition for in-state students.

 

UC Merced students celebrate graduating class of 1254 with family, friends

Merced Sun-Star

The University of California Merced's commencement ceremonies this year include the most doctoral candidates conferred in the campus' history.

See also:

      UC Merced graduates to walk the stage this weekend ABC30

 

The Education Of Bertha Perez: How A UC Merced Custodian's Disenchantment Led To A Political Awakening

Los Angeles Times

Bertha Perez was so proud and excited when she got a job as a custodian at UC Merced, the UC system's newest, and smallest campus. But her joy soon turned to anger over what she says are unfair working conditions. Never much of a political person, she is now a union leader on campus.

 

Commencements, state funding hang in balance amid UC, union standoff

Sacramento Bee

The University of California and the AFSCME 3299 union representing 24,000 service and patient-care workers have no plans to return to the bargaining table and each side is blaming the other for reaching a final impasse and an ensuing three-day strike that began on May 7.

 

Education Department Unwinds Unit Investigating Fraud at For-Profits

The New York Times

Members of a special team at the Education Department that had been investigating widespread abuses by for-profit colleges have been marginalized, reassigned or instructed to focus on other matters, according to current and former employees.

 

Apprenticeships:

 

Special job training program is about to 'take off' at Reedley College

ABC30

Reedley College is creating a runway for those who want to get their pilot's license and work in the airline industry.

 

Are apprenticeships finally ready to take off in America?

AEI

Imagine if worker education issues, such as apprenticeships and job retraining, received anywhere near the attention of “pro-growth” policies such as tax cuts or energy deregulation. Not only might there a better policy framework in place, but also more cultural acceptance of practical skills education vs. “college for all.”

 

ENVIRONMENT/ ENERGY

 

Environment:

 

Fresno County releasing mosquitoes to reduce mosquito population

ABC30

Some of the mosquitoes swarming in neighborhoods aren't biting. Instead, they're being released in three Fresno county neighborhoods to try to control the population of a pest which can spread dangerous diseases.

 

Eradication of invasive rodent off to a slow start in California

San Francisco Chronicle

The invasive nutria rodent from South America has been found burrowing beneath rivers and marshes in six counties. If it continues to spread, state officials fear it will not only ravage crops and wildlife habitat but upend dikes and dams, possibly flooding homes and undermining water supplies at a time when climate change is already testing California’s water infrastructure.

 

Valley Air App - Valley Air Quality at Your Fingertips

SJV Air Pollution Control District

Visit the website to learn your current air quality.

 

Trump, Softening His Tone, Calls for More Talks on Car Emissions

New York Times

President Trump on Friday directed his administration to negotiate with California over a proposed rollback of fuel economy and tailpipe emissions standards, a move that could avert a damaging court battle with the potential to sow chaos in the auto industry.

 

Debate Over EPA's 'Transparency' Rule

FactCheck.org

The Environmental Protection Agency proposed a rule to only use scientific studies with “publicly available” data when it develops regulations. This has sparked a debate in Congress on whether the proposal would prevent the EPA from considering studies that analyze private health information, including those that underpin air pollution standards.

 

Recycling, Once Embraced by Businesses and Environmentalists, Now Under Siege

WSJ

Local officials raise fees and send recyclables to landfills as economics erode

 

Energy:

 

Analysts predict slow, steady rise in fuel prices

Bakersfield Californian

Financial analysts say the recent run-up in gasoline prices will likely settle into a more gradual rate of increases that probably won't top $4 per gallon any time soon.

 

Think Solar Is Upending California’s Power Grid Now? Just Wait

Bloomberg

California just mandated that nearly all new homes have solar, starting in less than two years. Now, it’s going to have to figure out what to do with all of that extra energy.

 

HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES

 

Health:

 

Clovis man's progress may prove ALS research actually working

ABC30

May is ALS awareness month. Doctors diagnose 6,000 American patients with the debilitating disease every year and the life expectancy is variable, but usually two to five years. A Valley patient may be on the road to the first ever treatment slowing the disease.

 

Where California's candidates for governor stand on fixing health care

San Francisco Chronicle

The top six gubernatorial candidates not only differ when it comes to single-payer, they disagree on what to do next to fix the state’s $400 billion health care industry. And few offer specifics on how they would implement their ideas.

 

Trump dropped Medicare negotiation from his prescription drug plan--but it might not have worked anyway

Los Angeles Times

President Trump is being roundly attacked for dropping a popular solution for high drug prices from his policy statement Friday. That solution is to allow Medicare to negotiate prices directly with drug companies.

See also:

     Trump promises to lower drug prices, but his blueprint is less sweeping than his campaign rhetoric Los Angeles Times

     Trump rolls out drug price plan but it’s still a work in progress Politico

     Questions Surround ‘America First’ Plan On Overseas Drug Prices Roll Call

 

How Gaslighting Affects Your Mental Health

Time

“[Gaslighting] is like someone saying the sky is green over and over again, and at first you’ll be like ‘no, no,’” says Gail Saltz, MD a psychiatrist and host of the podcast The Power of Different. “Then over time the person starts to manipulate you into saying ‘I guess I can’t really see what color the sky is.’ It’s just this sense of unreality.”

 

Fixing Health Insurance: Interview with Mark Pauly

National Review

For years, Republican politicians assailed the Affordable Care Act for causing health-insurance premiums to rise, out-of-pocket costs to soar, and insurers to drop out of the marketplace altogether. Yet the congressional GOP has failed to enact legislation to supersede it, despite enjoying majorities in both houses and a Republican president.

 

Human Services:

 

Where Do You Go When You Leave the Hospital But Are Homeless?

KQED

The legislation moving through the state Senate would require that patients be discharged to one of four "safe and appropriate" locations:  their primary dwelling (as identified by the homeless patient), another health center or hospital, a nonprofit or social service agency that has given written consent to accept the patient, or an alternative spot that the patient has consented to go to, in writing.

See also:

     Homeless People Cycle Between Hospitals And Streets. Is Whole Person Care The Answer? The Sacramento Bee

 

California’s Biobank Stores Every Baby’s DNA. Who Else Has Access?

CBS

Like many states, California collects bio-samples from every child born in the state. The material is then stored indefinitely in a state-run biobank, where it may be purchased for outside research.

 

Cold and ‘Immune Broth’: California Tests Food as Medicine

New York Times

The Ceres Community Project — its meals prepared for cancer patients by teenage sous-chefs — is at the forefront of the “food as medicine” approach increasingly embraced by physicians, health insurers, researchers and public health officials.

 

IMMIGRATION

 

California's defiance of immigration law creates stark divides

SFGate

Growing opposition to the law is challenging California's identity as the heart of liberal resistance to the Trump administration. Protests from conservative residents and politicians are emerging in courthouses and council meetings from here in the Bay Area to San Diego County.

 

California lawmakers approve measure restricting disclosure of immigration status in court

Los Angeles Times

The California Senate sent Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown a bill that would bar the disclosure of the immigration status of alleged crime victims and witnesses in open court unless a judge rules that the information is relevant to the case.

See also:

       California’s defiance of immigration law creates stark divides  The Washington Post

 

LAND USE/HOUSING

 

Land Use:

 

Historical Perspective: Hopes ride high for Hotel Fresno’s future

Fresno Bee

A massive monument of downtown Fresno's early golden age stands on Broadway off Fresno Street, waiting for a new chapter to be written. For historic advocates and lovers of downtown Fresno, there’s still a glimmer of hope. This week a key meeting is scheduled that may breathe new life into the once grand lodging.

 

Playground, picnic areas part of additions to Tarina Homes Sports Complex

Bakersfield Californian

Visitors to the Tarina Homes Sports Complex at Mesa Marin will now enjoy some new amenities.

 

Housing:

 

New 800-home development gives Fresno's west of Highway 99 region a big push

Fresno Bee

Homebuilder Wathen Castanos Homes has big plans for west of Highway 99 in Fresno — a new home community with trails, parks and nearly 800 houses.

 

'It has to be tackled': Top governor candidates on affordable housing

Sacramento Bee

Some of California's top candidates for governor, including Gavin Newsom, Antonio Villaraigosa, Amanda Renteria and Travis Allen, talk about the need for affordable housing in California and their strategies for achieving the goal.

See also:

       California housing crisis podcast: What the next governor wants to do about housing Los Angeles Times

       EDITORIAL: The Bay Area's housing crisis has become an emergency San Francisco Chronicle

 

Taxpayers lose again with new solar panel mandate

OCRegister

The California Energy Commission has announced new regulations to require rooftop solar panels on all new homes constructed in California beginning in 2020. This forced mandate represents an extraordinary regulatory overreach.

See also:

     Gov. Jerry Brown offers part of a historic budget bonanza to help ease California's homelessness crisis  Los Angeles Times

     Mandating solar power for new homes? Great idea, California! OCRegister

     California’s new solar energy standards: Here’s how it could affect homeowners CNBC

     California Prays to the Sun God Wall Street Journal

 

PUBLIC FINANCES

 

For stories on the state budget, see, Top Stories: State Politics”

 

Gov. Jerry Brown's parting gift to his successor: ship-shape state finances

Los Angeles Times

Gov. Jerry Brown is massaging the final state budget of his long career, and his No. 1 priority is simple: Don't leave his successor the same mess he did the last time.

 

Taxes are Becoming a Bigger Issue for Tech Companies When Choosing Locations

National Real Estate Investor

A proposed 3 percent “head tax” on wages paid by the city’s wealthiest companies to fund affordable housing has Amazon reconsidering plans to expand in Seattle.

 

Federal Tax Cuts Leave States in a Bind

New York Times

The federal tax overhaul cut taxes for millions of American families and businesses. But the law also had an unintended effect: raising the state-tax bite in nearly every state that has an income tax.

 

TRANSPORTATION

 

Analysts predict slow, steady rise in fuel prices

The Bakersfield Californian

Will a gallon of unleaded gasoline reach $4 any time soon? Financial analysts say it's possible, especially if things spiral out of control in the Middle East.

 

Ode to a deadly highway

Stockton Record

Highway 99 is America’s most dangerous highway, a new study says. Fatalities are worst around Fresno. Around Stockton, deaths on 99 are not disproportionately bad.

 

Ending bullet train project is no solution to deal with California's maxed-out transportation system

OCRegister

High-speed rail will provide a much-needed productivity boost, giving our state’s commuters and long-distance travelers a fast, efficient transportation option. In addition, it will create new economic opportunities by tying megaregions of our state closer together.

 

Trump's welfare reform plan misses a key piece: Transportation

Washington Post

The Trump administration’s order toughening work requirements for people who receive welfare and other forms of public assistance lacks a major component of the 1990s-era reform: transportation.

 

Can people afford American infrastructure?

Brookings

Research shows that the poorest 20 percent of Americans spend nearly 60 percent of their income on essential living expenses like electricity and water, highlighting a critical need for policymakers to address inclusive, affordable infrastructure.

 

WATER

 

'Toxic cocktail' no more: Water Fund a step closer to reality

The Bakersfield Californian

Along with arsenic and 1,2,3-TCP, nitrates are among the most prevalent contaminants, both naturally occurring and not, in water systems throughout the state. How prevalent? One million Californians, perhaps many more, can't drink from their tap. Or shouldn't.

See also:

     Is your drinking water clean in Merced County? Advocates say rural residents at risk Merced Sun-Star

 

Stanislaus rivers rise with spring snowmelt, can kill a visitor who isn't careful

Modesto Bee

Flows in the lower Stanislaus River increased Thursday, prompting warnings to swimmers and other visitors to take care.

 

Can an uneasy truce hold off another water rebellion on California's northern border?

Sacramento Bee

The last time water was this scarce in the Klamath Basin, a rugged agricultural area straddling the California-Oregon border, farmers clashed with U.S. marshals and opened locked canal gates with blowtorches so they could irrigate.

 

Gov. Jerry Brown warns that delta tunnels project could be jeopardized if momentum is not maintained

Los Angeles Times

Gov. Jerry Brown warned local water agency officials throughout California on Thursday that unless the delta tunnels project gets needed state and federal permits soon and continues advancing, the major infrastructure project may not happen in their lifetime.

 

“Xtra”

 

Shaver Lake buzzing with 'Marvel'-ous excitement

ABC30

Shaver Lake is buzzing with 'Marvel'-ous excitement. The mountain community is serving as a backdrop in the upcoming movie "Captain Marvel: Open World."

 

 

Test yourself with our new free game: PolitiTruth

Think you can tell the difference between True and False?

Do you really know what is fake news?

 

Support the Maddy Daily HERE.

 

Thank you!

 

 

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. ​​​​​​​

 

 

To Subscribe or Unsubscribe: mjeans@csufresno.edu