POLICY & POLITICS
North SJ Valley:
Ex-Stockton mayor Silva pleads no contest to conflict charge; embezzlement charge dropped
Fresno Bee
Former Stockton mayor Anthony Silva pleaded no contest to a single count of conflict of interest Monday connected to money he steered to a youth club while he was mayor.
SJ supervisors agree to revisit Code of Ethics
Stockton Record
Patti nearly ran afoul of the Code of Ethics earlier this year when he narrowly avoided censure for speaking publicly about the county’s search to hire a chief medical examiner. Since then, Patti has argued that the six-page code violates his right to free speech.
Central SJ Valley:
Why did city disregard dangers at Camp Fresno – and stick someone else with the bill?
Fresno Bee
When the trees at Camp Fresno started dying by the hundreds and this city-owned “jewel” in the Sierra Nevada was threatened with closure by the U.S. Forest Service due to the hazardous conditions, Jarrod Deaver sought an answer.
After Assemblyman Arambula’s acquittal, DA sure sounds like politician she claims she isn’t
Fresno Bee
For someone who insists she isn’t a politician, Fresno County District Attorney Lisa Smittcamp sure did a fine impersonation of one.
Lemoore to discuss financial audit report, city park name change
Hanford Sentinel
The Lemoore City Council meets today, May 21, to talk about the city’s audit report, among other items of business.
South SJ Valley:
Bakersfield Californian
The Kern County Board of Supervisors officially declared an impasse in negotiation with the Kern County Firefighters Union over a new collective bargaining agreement at a meeting Tuesday.
See also:
● Supervisors declare impasse in negotiations with Kern County Firefighters UnionKGET
State:
Millions of Californians have faulty Real IDs. Here’s how to avoid a trip back to the DMV
Fresno Bee
Over the next several months, California’s Department of Motor Vehicles plans to send letters to 3.4 million customers who received Real ID cards prematurely.
See also:
● DMV sends Real ID customers letters asking for more infoSacramento Bee
Fresno, SF, Sacramento bars could stay open until 4 a.m.
Fresno Bee
State Sen. Scott Wiener did not agree with Jerry Brown’s claim that California had enough “mischief” and “mayhem” when the former governor vetoed a bill last year to keep bars open until 4 a.m.
Newsom taps task force leaders to address California’s rising homeless population
Los Angeles Times
Calling homelessness in California an escalating human crisis, Gov. Gavin Newsom on Tuesday announced the leaders of a task force formed to implement programs aimed at getting people off the streets.
See also:
● Gov. Gavin Newsom says he’s serious about dealing with California homelessness San Francisco Chronicle
● California governor launches task force on homelessnessAP News
Democratic lawmakers prepare to push Newsom on safety net spending
Politico
Democratic lawmakers will push Gov. Gavin Newsom to do more to help the poor as they enter budget negotiations based on plans the Assembly and Senate budget subcommittees passed in recent days.
CA officials back Space Command headquarters at Vandenberg
San Luis Obispo Tribune
Vandenberg Air Force Base is one of six military bases to make a short list for potential headquartersof the new Space Command — and California officials are pushing for it to be the last one standing.
The Fight Over a Landmark Digital Privacy Law
New York Times
When California’s landmark data privacy lawpassed last year, it followed an improbable campaign by privacy activists, who struck a deal with legislators and business lobbyists to avoid a ballot initiative that could have ended with a more stringent law.
California’s Digital Divide and the 2020 Census
PPIC
The 2020 Census will be the first decennial census with a fully online component. Rather than mailing forms to every household, the US Census Bureau will instead send out postcards asking households to take the census online, hoping to achieve a 55% online response rate. Then, as in years past, census workers will visit those who did not respond and conduct in-person interviews.
The apocalypse is nigh, which is why I have appointed myself king of California
Los Angeles Times
I’m not talking about the flaming wreck that calls itself the Lakers, or the knuckle-headed City of Commerce officials who knocked each other around at a fancy desert resort over the weekend.
Federal:
House panel subpoenas Hicks and counsel’s aide
Fresno Bee
The House Judiciary Committee has subpoenaed former White House communications director Hope Hicks and a former aide in the White House counsel’s office as Democrats continue their investigations of President Donald Trump.
See also:
● Former Trump officials, including Hope Hicks, subpoenaed by House Judiciary chairmanLos Angeles Times
● Growing number of House Democrats seek action against TrumpFresno Bee
● Calls for Trump’s impeachment grow in the HouseLos Angeles Times
● Vulnerable Democrats split as impeachment pressure mountsPolitico
● Calls for impeachment intensify in House, dividing DemocratsWashington Post
Washington Post
A confidential Internal Revenue Service legal memo says tax returns must be given to Congress unless the president takes the rare step of asserting executive privilege, according to a copy of the memo obtained by The Washington Post.
Interior Department policy let political appointees review FOIA requests
Roll Call
The Interior Department has for about a year allowed political appointees to weigh in on which federal records are released to the public, creating delays that could violate open records law and expose the department to legal action.
Washington Post
The behind-the-scenes intervention by Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) blocked language from a spending bill that could have prevented the Chinese-backed electric vehicle manufacturer in his district from winning federal contracts. It was striking because the close ally of President Trump sought to protect Chinese interests at a time when Trump and many lawmakers on Capitol Hill are attempting to curb Beijing’s access to U.S. markets, particularly in industries deemed vital to national security.
Judge rules against Trump in fight over president’s financial records
Washington Post
President Trump on Monday lost an early round of his court fight with Democrats after a federal judge ruled the president’s accounting firm must turn over his financial records to Congress as lawmakers seek to assert their oversight authority.
See also:
● A top Democrat warns: If we don’t confront Trump, he’ll grow more lawlessWashington Post
● The narrator in chief: With Trump, an eagerness to make any story about himselfWashington Post
Washington Post
President Trump abruptly canceled a meeting with Democratic leaders on Wednesday, saying he was unable to work with them on legislation following comments by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) that he was “engaged in a coverup.”
Elections 2020:
How 2020 Democrat Steve Bullock plans to drive big money out of politics
Fresno Bee
Democratic presidential candidate Steve Bullock on Monday said he would unilaterally shake up the country’s campaign finance system if elected, promising a set of immediate executive actions to increase transparency and reduce the influence of wealthy donors.
Democratic Presidential Candidate Pete Buttigieg On Trade, Military Force And More
VPR
In a wide-ranging interview with NPR, presidential hopeful Mayor Pete Buttigieg answers questions about everything from trade and the use of military force to love and marriage.
See also:
● Democratic presidential hopefuls plot their approaches to Fox NewsWashington Post
Kamala Harris, other presidential candidates rack up missed votes in Congress
San Francisco Chronicle
Presidential campaigns are grueling, requiring candidates to engage in near-constant travel around the country to shake hands with voters, promote policies and ask for donations. For sitting members of Congress, that means missing some votes.
See also:
● Kamala Harris Announces Plan to Close the Gender Pay GapNew York Times
● Kamala Harris, other 2020 Democrats promise new gun controls. How far can they go?Sacramento Bee
How Trump Is Outspending Every 2020 Democrat on Facebook
New York Times
President Trump’s re-election campaign has spent far more than any single Democratic presidential candidate on Facebook advertising, reprising a strategy that was central to his 2016 victory.
California GOP picks favorites for re-flipping seats Democrats won in midterms
San Francisco Chronicle
After last year’s midterm drubbing that cost Republicans seven California congressional seats, GOP leaders are going all out to try to show that those Democratic wins were one-off aberrations that won’t be repeated in 2020.
Poll: 60 percent say Trump should not be reelected
TheHill
A new poll finds that a strong majority of voters believes that President Trumpdoes not deserve a second term in office.
Other:
How San Francisco broke America’s heart
Washington Post
For decades, this coruscating city of hills, bordered by water on three sides, was a beloved haven for reinvention, a refuge for immigrants, bohemians, artists and outcasts. No longer. In a time of scarce consensus, everyone agrees that something has rotted in San Francisco.
New Twitter experiment is showing some users more ads
Los Angeles Times
If you feel like you’ve been seeing more Twitter ads lately, it’s not just your imagination. A Twitter Inc. spokeswoman said Tuesday that the company is experimenting with ad load, the industry term used to describe how frequently users are shown advertisements.
RANd
Over the past 30 years, the ways that Americans consume and share information have changed dramatically. No longer do people wait for the morning paper or the evening news. Instead, equipped with smartphones or other digital devices, the average person spends hours each day online, looking at news or entertainment websites or using social media and consuming many different types of information.
Power? No, Thanks, I’m Good
New York Times
The freedom to say what I think and command my own time is enough for me.
MADDY INSTITUTE PUBLIC POLICY PROGRAMMING
Sunday, May 26, at 10 a.m. on ABC30 – Maddy Report:“Motor Voter: Fine Tuning the Registration Engine”– Guests: Secretary of State AlexPadilla; Laurel Rosenhall, CALmatters; and John Myers, Los Angeles Times. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.
Sunday, May 26, at 10 a.m. on Newstalk 580AM/105.9FM (KMJ) –Maddy Report – Valley Views Edition: “Madera County Pilots New Voting Process: What Were the Results?”– Guests: Rebecca Martinez, Clerk/Recorder/Registrar of Voters for Madera County. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.
Sunday, May 26, at 7:30 a.m. on UniMas 61 (KTTF) – El Informe Maddy: “State Auditor Report on Charter Schools”– Guest: Margarita Fernandez, PIO State Auditor’s Office. Host: Maddy Institute Program Coordinator, Maria Jeans.
AGRICULTURE/FOOD
Upcoming storm has cherry growers racing to get the fruit off the trees
abc30
800 workers were perched on ladders grabbing handfuls of cherries as fast as they can. The race is on to get the coral and brooks cherries off the trees before the grey skies open up.
● See also:
Rain Could Dampen Expectations For Cherry Crop In San Joaquin CountyCapital Public Radio
● Wet spring delays California crops, snow elsewhere in WestStockton Record
Hanford Council to finalize cannabis ordinance
Hanford Sentinel
On the agenda is the final approval of an ordinance that will amend the city’s municipal code to allow non-storefront retail cannabis dispensaries and micro businesses in the industrial zone, and storefront retail dispensaries in the downtown zone.
Plan To Create Special Pot Banks Moves Forward In California
Capital Public Radio
Shut out of the traditional banking system by federal laws, the country’s largest legal marijuana market in California could benefit if the state approves a measure creating a special class of banks to handle pot money.
See also:
● Plan to create special cannabis-friendly banks moves forward in CaliforniaLos Angeles Times
Henry I. Miller , M.D.
The FDA is charged with ensuring that the labeling of packaged foods is not “false or misleading in any particular,” as mandated by the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. That ensures that consumers are not deceived and know what they’re paying for.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE / FIRE / PUBLIC SAFETY
Crime:
Gaspar: Catholic monk claims he witnessed sexual misconduct by Harrison
Bakersfield Californian
A Catholic monk is no longer keeping silent about what he claims were sexual improprieties with minors by Monsignor Craig Harrison of St. Francis of Assisi Church.
Former Public Works director made sexual jokes and ‘grossed out’ staff, complaints show
Modesto Bee
San Luis Obispo county’s former Public Works director was accused by staff of aggressive or inappropriate behavior and making statements that bordered on sexual harassment to female staff on and off the clock, written complaints by at least three employees show.
San Francisco police chief defends controversial search of reporter’s home
Los Angeles Times
Facing a firestorm of public criticism, San Francisco Police Chief Bill Scott said Tuesday the raid of a journalist’s home earlier this monthwas prompted by the suspicion that the reporter was a co-conspirator in a criminal investigation, adding that his alleged conduct “crossed the line.”
Public Safety:
Here’s what Fresno Police Chief Jerry Dyer must complete before running for mayor
Fresno Bee
Fresno Police Chief Jerry Dyer plans to move into the city limits and meet with key people before he would launch a 2020 bid for mayor.
This is what NTSB does when it investigates plane crashes and other accidents
Fresno Bee
The National Transportation Safety Board, established in 1967, conducts independent investigations into all civil aviation accidents in the U.S. and major accidents in other modes of transportation.
Caged canine blood colonies face new restrictions under proposed California law
Sacramento Bee
California lawmakers approved a bill Tuesday aimed at creating a more compassionate, transparent process for canine blood donation.
Newsom’s Sweeping Plan to Reduce Inmate Drug Overdoses Faces Pushback
KQED
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s proposal to spend close to $400 million over three years to battle substance abuse in California’s prisons is hitting a roadblock, after legislative staffers raised serious concerns about the sweeping plan.
Of course police should kill only when necessary. California law should reflect that
Los Angeles Times
Police officers should be able to use deadly force only when necessary to prevent death or serious injury to themselves or to others.
Two Trump nominees confirmed to 9th Circuit Court in California, and third likely to join
Sacramento Bee
The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals is about to have two new, conservative judges join its ranks in California.
See also:
● Leonard Leo’s behind-the-scenes campaign to remake the nation’s courtsWashington Post
Fire:
EDITORIAL: Trump continues petty flame war against California, but fire season is coming
Fresno Bee
Wildfire season is almost here and, in an ongoing effort to make sure California is punished each and every day for not being a handmaiden to the daily calamity in Washington, Trump’s Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Forest Service are playing games with California’s firefighting budget.
ECONOMY / JOBS
Economy:
A new fast food chain is coming to Modesto and Merced; when and where it’s planned
Modesto Bee
The fast food chain Rally’s and Checkers — which share the same ownership, food and look — is expanding into Northern California in a big way with new restaurants planned for the Modesto, Merced and Stockton areas.
Pitman Farms a likely bankruptcy sale winner for Zacky Farms ranches
Business Journal
Zacky Farms Chapter 11 bankruptcy hearings continue this month in Los Angeles with an indication that two of Zacky’s Fresno facilities will be bought by OK Produce for about $4.4 million, including the former 164,000 square-foot processing plant.
Trump Calls on Democrats to Put Trade Pact Before Infrastructure Package
Wall Street Journal
President, due to meet Pelosi and Schumer on road and bridge rebuilding, says USMCA approval is priority
Jobs:
Gavin Newsom wants to get to the bargaining table, starting with expired CHP contract
Sacramento Bee
Contracts are expiring this summer for five state worker bargaining units and the state still has no agreement with CHP.
Bakersfield Californian
The Kern County Board of Supervisors officially declared an impasse in negotiation with the Kern County Firefighters Union over a new collective bargaining agreement at a meeting Tuesday.
See also:
● Supervisors declare impasse in negotiations with Kern County Firefighters UnionKGET
‘No rich people working for Postmates’: Couriers protest pay change
San Francisco Chronicle
A few days ago, the San Francisco delivery company restructured its pay rates, which many workers said cut their incomes by about 30%. More than 1,200 couriers have signed a petition protesting the changes.
California Employment Report for April 2019
California Center for Jobs and the Economy
The Center for Jobs and the Economy has released its full analysis of the April employment data.
“Do Benefit Cuts Encourage Public Employees to Leave?”
The Center for Retirement Research at Boston College
For the brief’s key findings.
Growing cities that work for all
Brookings
As communities across the United States grapple with the challenges of an ever-evolving labor market, a new report provides a framework for local leaders to create good jobs through industrial development strategies that are based on their regions’ unique strengths.
EDUCATION
K-12:
California bill proposing later school start times passes through state senate
abc30
SB 328 passed in the California State Senate Tuesday. The bill, sponsored by the California State PTA, has gained support from medical professionals, law enforcement, and education advocates.
Language Institute teachers want to leave Davis, form new charter school in Modesto
Modesto Bee
Lindsey Bird, former coordinator of the institute, and veteran educator Lynn Lysko are lead petitioners for the charter school. It would create a pathway to college for newcomer students, additional English learners and students reading and writing below grade level.
Later school bells, alternative testing: California lawmakers try again on quashed K-12 bills
CALmatters
California hit the snooze button last year on legislation that would have let middle and high school students sleep in a little longer. The later—and, experts say, healthier—school start time would have been a national first had Gov. Jerry Brown not vetoed it.
California School Districts Make Some Gains In Recent Strikes, Long-Standing Problems Remain
Capital Public Radio
The school strikes in Los Angeles, Oakland and Sacramento have yielded different results. But, regardless of location, the issues are largely the same in each place: concerns about class size, the need for additional support staff and want for salaries.
What social and emotional learning advocates can learn from Common Core
AEI
Republicans, Democrats, teachers, and the general public all soured on the Common Core in a few short years. If social and emotional learning advocates do not wish to see their efforts meet the same fate, there are lessons that they can learn from Common Core.
How US STEM practices compare internationally
AEI
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) recently issued its new book-length report, “Measuring Innovation in Education 2019.” The authors offer some fascinating peeks at how the OECD nations compare when it comes to K–12 policy and practice.
A New School Funding Measure; Trouble for the Split Roll?
Fox&Hounds
The school establishment is clearly nervous about the viability of the split roll tax increase plan.
Teach For America, not California
Fox&Hounds
Assembly Bill 221in California would prohibit school districts from entering into a contract with a third-party organization that employs teachers “who commit to teaching in the organization for less than five years.” This is an obvious bullet aimed at Teach For America, whose name was invoked but then removed from an earlier version of the bill.
Many More Students, Especially the Affluent, Get Extra Time to Take the SAT
Wall Street Journal
Responding to parent pleas, high schools grant special test-taking accommodations to growing numbers, a Wall Street Journal analysis shows
Democrats’ views on charter schools diverge by race as 2020 elections loom
Brookings
Jon Valant assesses Bernie Sanders’ criticisms of the U.S. charter school system in the context of an emerging ideological split within the Democratic Party, with white Democrats growing increasingly opposed to charter schools as black and Hispanic Democrats remain largely in favor.
See also:
● A charter school moratorium won’t help California schoolsCALmatters
Higher Ed:
Oakhurst and Madera Community College centers get their first president
Sierra Star
Angel Reyna began his tenure as president of both campuses on Monday. Reyna comes to Madera County from Renton Technical College in Washington, where he served as vice president of instruction since 2015.
California Senate passes bill requiring public universities to offer abortion pill on campus
The Hill
If the legislation passes the House and is signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom, all student health centers on University of California and California State University campuses would be required to offer students nonsurgical abortion options.
Coping with High Housing Costs in College
Public Policy Institute of California
California’s housing crisis affects college students around the state. Over the past eight years—even as tuition has been stable at California’s public colleges and universities—the cost of attending college has risen because housing costs have gone up. Most students at California’s community colleges and in the California State University system pay more for housing than they do for tuition. At the University of California, housing costs are on par with tuition (for those who pay full tuition).
Cal State application fees expected to rise to $70 per campus amid access concerns
EdSource
The cost of applying to each of the California State University’s 23 campuses would jump up next fall from the current $55 to $70 under an administration proposal that has raised concerns about possibly hurting student access.
Apprenticeships:
ENVIRONMENT/ ENERGY
Environment:
A week after teen goes missing, officials close access to Tule River
abc30
Even from far away, the roar of the Tule River is audible. Officials say heavy snowmelt has contributed to swift, cold water flowing in the river, making it dangerous for everyone.
See also:
● Tule River closes to the public days before Memorial Day weekend Visalia Times Delta
● Forest Service issues temporary public access closure to Tule RiverPorterville Recorder
How Politicians Should Respond to Climate Change
Wall Street Journal
Students debate the politics of drastic action.
Trump’s EPA shifts more environmental enforcement to states
AP News
The EPA under President Donald Trump is delegating a widening range of public health and environmental enforcement to states, saying local officials know best how to deal with local problems. Critics contend federal regulators are making a dangerous retreat on enforcement that puts people and the environment at greater risk.
Energy:
Fresno Community Choice Energy Business Forum – RSVP Now
Clear Power Exchange
The City of Fresno is considering Community Choice Energy in its future. Come learn the potential benefits and impacts for your business.
Activists speak out against fracking on federal land in California
Bakersfield Californian
Kern’s oil industry took a pass Tuesday on a public hearing focused on the environmental impacts of fracking, handing the day to dozens of anti-oil activists who convened in downtown Bakersfield to rail against the technique and the threat of climate change.
Path to fracking eased in oil, gas drilling plans
Capitol Weekly
Once again, the stage is being set for a multi-pronged battle in California between environmentalists and the Trump administration.
HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES
Health:
Visalia Times-Delta
Mothers who receive episiotomies – an incision at the vaginal opening to create more room as a baby’s head appears – are more likely to suffer severe complications than if they had been allowed to tear naturally.
‘Abortions won’t stop, women will die.’ Reproductive rights fight hits Modesto corner
Modesto Bee
Saying they fought and won the battle before and are outraged at having to do it again, women gathered at a major Modesto intersection during the lunch hour Tuesday for a rally dubbed My Body, My Choice.
See also:
● States sue over rule allowing clinicians to refuse abortionsBusiness Journal
Kaiser provides $40K to keep at-risk Fresno youth fit
Business Journal
At-risk youth in Southwest Fresno can expect access to a new boxing ring, fitness equipment, meditation room and mentoring programs with help from Kaiser Permanente Fresno.
Trump’s ‘pro-life’ administration just killed a program on children’s health
Los Angeles Times
For more than 20 years, the federal Environmental Protection Agency and National Institutes of Health have partnered to fund a unique nationwide program studying environmental impacts on children’s health. No more.
Johnson & Johnson loses one baby powder cancer case and wins another
Los Angeles Times
Johnson & Johnson was ordered to pay at least $25 million to a woman who said she contracted a rare asbestos-related cancer through decades of daily use of its baby powder or its other talc product, Shower to Shower.
Human Services:
Survey gives Kaweah Delta Medical Center a mediocre grade for safety
Visalia Times-Delta
Kaweah Delta Medical Center earned poor grades for keeping patients safe in several categories and earned an overall mediocre grade for safety, according to new research from The Leapfrog Group.
California regulators aren’t taking action against care homes that cheated workers
Los Angeles Times
Across California, at least 20 companies providing care for elderly, disabled and mentally ill people continue to operate illegally after being cited for failing to pay their workers more than $1.4 million in back wages and penalties.
FDA hidden database included 37,000 reports of problems with Medtronic defibrillator wires
Fresno Bee
When medical device maker Medtronic pulled its popular but fracture-prone Sprint Fidelis defibrillator leads from the market a decade ago, a cascade of complaints involving tens of thousands of the skinny wire devices soon followed.
The Struggle To Hire And Keep Doctors In Rural Areas Means Patients Go Without Care
VPR
Rural hospitals are in decline. Over 100 have closed since 2010 and hundreds more are vulnerable. As of December 2018, there were more than 7,000 areas in the U.S. with health professional shortages, nearly 60 percent of which were in rural areas.
Comcast is working on an in-home device to track people’s health
CNBC
Comcast is working on an in-home device to monitor people’s health, and aims to begin pilot-testing it later this year.
U.S. states, cities sue to block Trump ‘conscience’ rule for healthcare workers
Reuters
Two dozen U.S. states and municipalities sued the Trump administration on Tuesday to stop it from enforcing a rule that would make it easier for doctors and nurses to avoid performing abortions on religious or moral grounds.
A Latino doctor provides a medical sanctuary for migrant farmworkers
NBC News
“I pledged in medical school to help these people in the farm fields,” says Dr. J. Luis Bautista.“We never say no to patients.”
Rapid Opioid Cutoff Is Risky Too, Feds Warn
PEW
Two federal agencies caution doctors not to taper high-dose pain patients too quickly.
IMMIGRATION
California Democrats Face Off Over Health Care for Illegal Immigrants
Wall Street Journal
Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom has proposed allowing unauthorized immigrants under 26 to enroll in Medi-Cal, the state’s Medicaid program. Some members of the legislature, which is dominated by Democrats, have proposed that low-income people of all ages be eligible, regardless of their immigration status.
U.S. Wall Funding of $1.57 Billion Yields 1.7 Miles of Fence
Bloomberg
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has put up just 1.7 miles of fencing with the $1.57 billion that Congress appropriated last year for President Donald Trump’s wall along the Mexican border, a federal judge was told.
What’s behind the desire for ‘skilled’ immigrants? Racial prejudice.
Washington Post
New research shows that the preference for “skills” conceals bias against Latinos.
No Wall Can Fill Holes in the Law
Wall Street Journal
Physical barriers divert the flow of migrants across the border. Stanching it will take new asylum policies.
An Opening for Immigration Reform
Wall Street Journal
Sen. Lindsey Graham leads, but he’ll need help from Democrats and President Trump.
LAND USE/HOUSING
Land Use:
Trump, Democratic leaders meet for Round 2 on infrastructure
Fresno Bee
Reality has set in during the three weeks since President Donald Trump and Democratic congressional leaders agreed to work together on a $2 trillion package to invest in roads, bridges and broadband.
A new brewery is headed for downtown Fresno, and the Ale Trail is launching ‘beer passports’
Fresno Bee
The name Procreations Brewing has some meaning behind it.
La Quinta opens hotel near Old Town Clovis
Clovis Roundup
La Quinta by Wyndham, a three-story hotel with 79 rooms, is now up and running on Clovis Avenue just south of The Barnyard Shopping Center.
Housing:
How Schools Can Support Homeless Teens
VPR
More than 1 million public school students experienced homelessness in the 2016-2017 school year. Those students are less likely to finish high school, but one Illinois teenager beat the odds.
Bill Would Help Homeless Shelters Cover Cost Of Pets
KPBS
A bill making its way through the California Legislature would provide $5 million to help shelters better serve homeless pet owners.
Are special interests blocking housing reforms? Or is public opposition?
Public CEO
The decision last week by state Senate Appropriations Chairman Anthony Portantino, D-La Cañada Flintridge, to kill SB 50– the latest attempt to spur housing construction by limiting local control of approvals– came as a surprise to many.
PUBLIC FINANCES
California set to pay $2.7 million to state contractors over recession IOUs
Sacramento Bee
A group of business owners who received IOUs instead of checks from the state of California during the recession.
Democratic lawmakers prepare to push Newsom on safety net spending
Politico
Democratic lawmakers will push Gov. Gavin Newsom to do more to help the poor as they enter budget negotiations based on plans the Assembly and Senate budget subcommittees passed in recent days.
CalChamber-backed study says service tax would disadvantage California businesses
CALmatters
Aiming to short-circuit an idea that has long captured the imagination, if not yet the votes, of legislators, a study backed by California Chamber of Commerce has found that adopting a business service tax—i.e., a tax on lawyers, accountants and consultants—would hurt the economy and put the state at a competitive disadvantage.
Corporate America paying its lowest share of taxes since Eisenhower
CBS News
U.S. companies contributed 7.6% of the $3.5 trillion in total federal income tax revenue collected for 2018, down two percentage points from the previous year.
These two Democratic presidential contenders voted for a gas tax increase
Roll Call
Both Sanders and Biden voted for the last federal gas tax hike 26 years ago.
Governor Wants Narrow Rules For California Opportunity Zones
Blloomberg
California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s proposed twist on federal opportunity zone tax breaks would cap investments from qualified funds and limit investments to affordable housing and green energy projects.
TRANSPORTATION
Bullet-train work continues in Fresno, Valley amid state-federal legal battle
Fresno Bee
California’s high-speed rail agency remains determined to complete about 119 miles of bullet-train construction in the central San Joaquin Valley, even as a confrontation with the Trump administration over promised federal funds escalates into a lawsuit.
See also:
● California says Trump’s high-speed rail cut was payback for state’s stand on border wallFresno Bee
● California says Trump’s high-speed rail cut was payback for state’s stand on border wallModesto Bee
● California sues over $1B in canceled high-speed rail moneyFresno Bee
● California high-speed rail agency sues Trump administration for canceling grant Los Angeles Times
● California sues Trump administration over cutoff of high-speed rail fundingSan Francisco Chronicle
● Fox: Don’t Look for the Next President to Rescue CA’s Bullet TrainFox & Hounds
● Trump doing California a bullet train favorCALmatters
●
Uber and Lyft could face tax for snarling S.F. traffic: ‘Everyone needs to pay their fair share’
San Francisco Chronicle
Uber and Lyft could face a tax in their hometown that would raise millions of dollars for San Francisco’s transportation needs — like fixing bike lanes or increasing traffic enforcement.
WATER
Recent storms put May on path to be wettest on record for Fresno
abc30
A series of storms in the middle of this month has May 2019 on the way to being one of the wettest on record for Fresno.
See also:
● Local rainfall records broken as wintry weather continues to cool Bakersfield Bakersfield Californian
● A May surprisePorterville Recorder
● May is proving to be a wet blanket for California — and more rain is on the wayLos Angeles Times
California legislators want safe drinking water. They haven’t agreed on how to fund it.
Business Journal
A state senate committee is set to vote on a bill today that would address safe and affordable drinking water throughout California, a goal Governor Gavin Newsom has also prioritized in his proposed budget. Still to be decided is how to fund it.
See also:
● They Grow the Nation’s Food, but They Can’t Drink the Water New York Times
● Water, and hope, run dry for East Porterville woman caught in drought Fresno Bee
Stockton council OKs hike in wastewater rates
Stockton Record
A total of 361 ballots protesting proposed water rate increases were received by Tuesday evening, and 114 of those were unaccountable, Stockton City Clerk Eliza Garza said during a public hearing.
Tales of the San Joaquin: A River Restored 2014 short
Green Planet Films
Tales of the San Joaquin presents a contemporary and historical overview of California’s San Joaquin River. For sixty years the river had been completely dried by water diversion for agriculture. After a twenty-year lawsuit, the river is now being restored as a habitat for spawning salmon. This is the story of that river.
Water Use and Trading in California
PPIC
Water use in California is declining in all sectors, but it varies dramatically across regions and between wet and dry years. Adapting to scarcity is key to managing limited supplies a warming climate.
They Grow the Nation’s Food, but They Can’t Drink the Water
New York Times
Water is a currency in California, and the low-income farmworkers who pick the Central Valley’s crops know it better than anyone. They labor in the region’s endless orchards, made possible by sophisticated irrigation systems, but at home their faucets spew toxic water tainted by arsenic and fertilizer chemicals.
“Xtra”
A new brewery is headed for downtown Fresno, and the Ale Trail is launching ‘beer passports’
Fresno Bee
Procreations Brewing Co. is planning to open a brewery in downtown Fresno. And the Downtown Fresno Ale Trail has officially launched, complete with passports that can be stamped at each of the breweries.
New Coke is making a comeback after its flop in 1985 — because of ‘Stranger Things’
Fresno Bee
Thanks to the show “Stranger Things,” New Coke will be available for a limited time. Coca-Cola launched New Coke, which came with new ingredients, in 1985. But after the new drink upset soda lovers, the company switched back to its original recipe.
Visiting Yosemite this Memorial Day weekend? You’d better plan ahead
Fresno Bee
Park officials are advising visitors to arrive before 9 a.m. or after 5 p.m., and park to vehicles at the day-parking areas in Yosemite Valley, Yosemite Falls or Half Dome Village.
You can see monkeys fly in the Mother Lode. Here’s how and where
Modesto Bee
Yes, monkeys will fly in Columbia.
Lightning in a Bottle declared a success by Kern County officials
Kern County public safety departments are declaring the Lightning in a Bottle arts and music festival a success a week after the event wrapped up.