November 13, 2019

13Nov

POLICY & POLITICS

 

Adventist Health, Kaiser ranked safest hospitals in region

Business Journal

According to the organization’s Fall 2019 patient safety report, Kaiser Permanente Fresno — along with Adventist Health’s Selma and Hanford hospitals — were given “A” ratings.

 

Valley fever costs California about $700 million annually, study estimates

KVPR

The individual health care costs of a severe case of valley fever can be devastating. But with thousands of cases of the fungal disease each year in California, what’s the cost to society? A new study makes an astounding estimate.

 

North SJ Valley:

 

EDITORIAL: Dead dogs and toxic fish: Welcome to Stockton, a city choking on California water policy

Los Angeles Times

The city’s fate is linked inextricably with the San Joaquin River, which runs through town after its long trip down the western slope of the Sierra and a sharp turn north through the San Joaquin Valley. Much of the water upstream is diverted for agriculture, although a legal settlement ensures that the river no longer runs dry.

 

Modesto recovery program settles with state. Addiction services to reopen soon

Modesto Bee

A Modesto residential recovery program will be open again Dec. 1 after reaching a settlement agreement with the California Department of Health Care Services over a state order to suspend the center’s license.

 

Council: Flag policy stays the same

Turlock Journal

The rainbow flag will not be flying at Turlock City Hall anytime soon, as the City Council voted 3-2 on Tuesday to not change the City’s current flag policy.

 

Central SJ Valley:

 

Former Fresno County DA is running for judge, Fresno city council member won't

abc30

If judges decide not to file for re-election, "there's an open period for attorneys to file to run (as candidates) in an election for the judgeship" instead of opening the position for a gubernatorial appointment, said legal analyst Tony Capozzi.

 

Dreamers are ‘no threat to our country,’ Fresno councilmember argues at DACA rally

Fresno Bee

Dozens rallied Tuesday in downtown Fresno as the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments in a case with profound implications for hundreds of thousands of immigrants.

 

City workers protest wages

Madera Tribune

About 60 to 70 rank-and-file city workers held a protest Wednesday night in front of the Madera City Hall, before the start of the 6 p.m. City Council meeting, to express what they called their frustrations over lack of progress with their stalled contract negotiations.

 

City undecided on whether residents can pick up unused trash cans

Visalia Times Delta

The problem, officials say, is that residents may attempt to use the old bins as trash cans which would create problems for garbage trucks no longer equipped to handle the split cans.

 

Tulare school board to consider formally opposing city's proposed weed ordinance

Visalia Times Delta

Some Tulare educators worry that a proposed city ordinance would make it easier for kids to get ahold of weed. Tulare Joint Union High School District Board of Trustees might push back against a split Tulare City Council.

 

South SJ Valley:

 

Glimpse of Kern’s oil-free future at EPA workshop today

Bakersfield Californian

The California Environmental Protection Agency will host a public workshop Wednesday evening at Bakersfield College's Norman Levan Center, where EPA officials, along with representatives of partner agencies, will solicit public input on two state-funded studies that focus on California's quest to achieve ambitious carbon neutrality goals by 2045.

 

Get Down To The Bakersfield Sound: The Legacy Of 'Nashville West'

Valley Public Radio

Bakersfield has its own music hall of fame, and its musical history is even reflected in the motto on the town’s website: “The Sound of Something Better.” The city’s musical legacy is now being documented in a box set called, “The Bakersfield Sound: Country Music Capital Of The West 1940-1975.”

 

State:

 

Despite Newsom’s high-speed rail plan, some on project’s board have other spending ideas

Fresno Bee

Discussions at Tuesday’s state Assembly Transportation Committee hearing in Fresno highlighted the uncertainty existing within the state Legislature that fully building out Gov. Gavin Newsom’s vision of California’s high-speed rail project is the best way to proceed.

 

The Capitol annex will soon be gutted. Lawmakers still asked for nearly $200K in office upgrades

Fresno Bee

The Legislature authorized a chunk of money last year to do away with the 67-year-old building that houses the majority of state senators and Assembly members to make space for a more modern model.

 

Business partners donated big money to Sacramento politicians as they built cannabis empire

Sacramento Bee

Over the past several years, a group of business partners has quietly amassed the largest network of cannabis storefronts in Sacramento, despite city rules designed to prohibit consolidation of the pot industry here under single ownership.

 

California needs you: A veteran’s call to service

CalMatters

California is facing challenges such as homelessness, climate change, poverty, and natural disasters, to name a few. If we are going to be successful in tackling these issues, we need to harness the power of our greatest asset, the 40 million people who call California home.

 

Californians: The Americans a lot of other Americans love to hate

Mercury News

Austin, Portland and even Boise tell transplants to go back home.

 

Walters: Local governments are in distress

CalMatters

Generally, most in trouble are small cities, either in rural areas or in urban cores, whose residents have low incomes. No. 1 on the list is Compton, whose travails have been well documented over the years.

 

Federal:

 

‘The genocide has not stopped.’ Government recommends not recognizing Yosemite area tribe

Fresno Bee

The Southern Sierra Miwuk Nation has been waiting 37 years for a decision from the U.S. government about their petition for federal acknowledgment as a Native American tribe.

 

Supreme Court grapples with Trump cancellation of DACA, impact on immigrant families

abc30

A divided Supreme Court on Tuesday grappled with the rationale behind President Donald Trump's decision to end protections for 700,000 young immigrants and the subsequent consequences for their families, communities and employers.

See also:

 

Opinion: What conservatism should look like after Trump

AEI

The right-wing populism of President Donald Trump has led the Republican Party away from its traditional commitments to free markets, advancing economic opportunity, openness and personal responsibility, and towards an embrace of racial grievance, hostility to immigrants and protectionism.

 

Elections 2020:

 

Californians are warming up to Warren. Her campaign is ramping up efforts to win them over

Fresno Bee

With less than 100 days until early voting begins on Feb. 3, Warren’s team announced on Tuesday that the Massachusetts senator has hired eight additional staff members in the Golden State, bringing the total number of paid California workers to nine.

 

Sanders beats Warren in battle for major union's endorsement

Politico

The nod from the pro-single payer National Nurses United — coming on the heels of the United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America voting to back him in the primary — gives Sanders an advantage in the escalating debate on the left over health care.

 

Pete Buttigieg Tops Poll in Iowa for First Time

Wall Street Journal

Pete Buttigieg has joined former Vice President Joe Biden, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders as a top candidate in Iowa, a Monmouth University Poll released Tuesday shows.

 

Mark Sanford Ends His Primary Challenge Against President Trump

KVPR

Sanford blamed the impeachment inquiry against Trump for making it harder to make policy-based arguments against the president, including deficit reduction and slashing government spending.

See also:

 

Democrats’ Jitters Lead Bloomberg, Patrick to Give Race Second Look

Wall Street Journal

The potential enlarged slate of candidates is shaking up a race that has seen former Vice President Joe Biden holding a nominal lead in national polls but losing ground against rivals such as Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders.

See also:

 

Clinton says she is being urged by ‘many, many, many people’ to run in 2020

Politico

Hillary Clinton on Tuesday declined to rule out launching a future presidential campaign after her two failed bids, saying “many, many, many people” were pressuring her to enter the race.

 

Dr. Ivy Cargile, CSUB political science professor, shares her views on the 2020 election with Center for American Women and Politics

Center for American Women and Politics

Many of the women of color who ran in 2018 are disrupters. They ran for political office despite being told to wait their turn, despite the fact that they would be running against popular incumbents, despite not having the support of their political party.

 

Other:

 

Microsoft to extend California privacy protections across U.S.

Los Angeles Times

Microsoft Corp. said it will extend the “core rights” in California’s new privacy law to customers across the U.S. and called for legislators to go further than the state provisions, which have sparked concern in industries as diverse as technology and retail.

 

Local journalism in crisis: Why America must revive its local newsrooms

Brookings

Thousands of local newspapers have closed in recent years. Their disappearance has left millions of Americans without a vital source of local news and deprived communities of an institution essential for exposing wrongdoing and encouraging civic engagement.

 

Opinion: We’re quickly moving toward a world where drone executions are the norm

Los Angeles Times

For a decade now, many of us working in human rights have warned Western nations about the dangers of running covert assassination programs. U.S. drone strikes have terrorized communities, killed civilians and generated hatred.

 

MADDY INSTITUTE PUBLIC POLICY PROGRAMMING

 

Sunday, November 17, at 10 a.m. on ABC30 – Maddy ReportCalifornia Utility-Caused Wildfires: Who Pays? - Guests: Dr. Ross Brown, California Legislative Analyst Office. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.

 

Sunday, November 17, at 10 a.m. on Newstalk 580AM/105.9FM (KMJ) – Maddy Report - Valley Views Edition: California Wildfires: Pay Me Now or Pay Me Later  - Guests: Pedro Nava, Chair of California Little Hoover Commission and Dr. Ross Brown, California Legislative Analyst Office. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.

 

Sunday, November 17, at 7:30 a.m. on UniMas 61 (KTTF) – El Informe Maddy:  Permisos de armas ocultas– Invitado: Margarita Fernandez, PIO State Auditor's Office. Presentado Por: Coordinadora del Programa del Maddy Institute, Maria Jeans.

 

AGRICULTURE/FOOD

 

America's largest milk producer files for bankruptcy

abc30

Dean Foods, America's largest milk producer and home to multiple well-known brands, filed for bankruptcy protection on Tuesday. Dean Foods products include Dairy Pure, TruMoo, Land O'Lakes, Lehigh Valley Dairy Farms and Oak Farms.

See also:

 

Table grape market improves for local growers but not enough

Bakersfield Californian

From a farmer's perspective, Kern County's top-grossing crop is performing better this year than it did last year. Prices for California table grapes remain significantly below their average from the last several years, people in the business say.

 

Tulare school board to consider formally opposing city's proposed weed ordinance

Visalia Times Delta

Some Tulare educators worry that a proposed city ordinance would make it easier for kids to get ahold of weed. Tulare Joint Union High School District Board of Trustees might push back against a split Tulare City Council.

 

The Dying California Desert Town Where Cannabis Is the Only Remaining Hope

Vice

From cul-de-sac-fever-dream gone bust to vertically integrated weed opportunity zone, the high desert town of California City is hoping the winds of fate will finally blow its way.

See also:

 

CRIMINAL JUSTICE / FIRE / PUBLIC SAFETY

 

Crime:

 

More than 1,000 California police accessed background check database for personal use

Fresno Bee

Haggett is one of more than 1,000 California law enforcement agency workers in the last decade who have been found to have misused the CLETS system or other sensitive databases that are supposed to be accessed only for legitimate investigative purposes.

See also:

 

KCSO warns of kidnapping scheme

Bakersfield Californian

In each case, an individual was contacted by phone or social media and informed that a parent, sibling or child had been kidnapped. A ransom was then demanded for their release, the sheriff's office said in a press release.

 

Hate crimes see slight dip in 2018, FBI says

abc30

For the first time in four years, reported federal hate crimes have seen a slight dip. In 2017, the FBI reported 7,175 incidents and 2018 saw a slight dip with 7,120 incidents.

See also:

 

Supreme Court lets Sandy Hook shooting lawsuit against gun-maker go forward

Los Angeles Times

The justices rejected an appeal from Remington Arms that argued it should be shielded by a 2005 federal law preventing most lawsuits against firearms manufacturers when their products are used in crimes.

 

Judge blocks White House from allowing downloads of 3-D printed gun blueprints

Reuters

A federal judge on Tuesday struck down the Trump administration’s effort to allow blueprints for making guns from 3-D printers to be posted online.

 

Public Safety:

 

Police, Downtown Visalians increase safety for Candy Cane Lane Parade

Visalia Times Delta

The problem is that some early birds ignore the long-standing rule that chairs are not to be set up before 3 p.m. The tradition of roping (and sometimes chaining) together chairs has caused an annual uproar over the years.

 

Why victims are suing the Gilroy Garlic Festival after fatal shooting

Fresno Bee

A lawsuit alleges that negligent security measures allowed a gunman to sneak in and fatally shoot three people and wound 13 others at the Gilroy Garlic Festival in the summer of 2019.

 

How Airbnb Plans to Verify Rentals After a California Shooting

New York Times

They range from checking the accuracy of photographs, addresses and other information posted for each property to verifying that the listings meet safety standards and that the hosts are who they say they are.

 

EDITORIAL: 2019 has given us yet more examples of the inherent injustice of capital punishment

Los Angeles Times

In fact, this year’s executions contain several sterling examples of why the nation needs to abandon this appalling practice, which is handed down unfairly and meted out at times on people who may have been innocent.

 

Fire:

 

PG&E faces potential showdown over its bankruptcy plan

Fresno Bee

California Gov. Gavin Newsom is stepping up pressure on Pacific Gas & Electric to fork over billions more in cash to pay thousands of people who lost homes in wildfires that drove the utility into bankruptcy.

See also:

 

California regulators to open inquiry into power outages

AP News

California regulators will vote Wednesday on whether to open an investigation into pre-emptive power outages that blacked out large parts of the state for much of October as strong winds sparked fears of wildfires.

 

For California firefighters, how ‘mindfulness’ can ease the deadly stress of their jobs

Fresno Bee

As California’s firefighters confront one deadly wildfire after another around the state, the flames and the noxious fumes they spew are not the only perilous threats awaiting them. Stress and trauma also mount vicious assaults on first responders’ bodies and brains.

See also:

 

Watch: Learning to live with fire in California

CalMatters

But many Californians are also facing an uncomfortable reckoning: No one is going to save us, and whatever we come up with to respond to the unending cycle of fires is going to be very, very expensive and we may not like it.

See also:

 

Waking Up from the California Dream in the Age of Wildfires

The New Yorker

In recent weeks, as millions of Californians sat in the dark, subject to planned power outages—a desperate, and ultimately failed, attempt to prevent fires caused by faulty electrical equipment—another field of fires bloomed, forcing hundreds of thousands from their homes.

 

ECONOMY / JOBS

 

Economy:

 

Trump Makes No Promises On China Trade Deal

KVPR

In a speech to the Economic Club of New York on Tuesday, Trump downplayed the cost of his trade war, which has hurt farm exports and contributed to a slowdown in the U.S. manufacturing sector.

See also:

 

Stocks end nearly flat after early rally loses momentum

KVPR

The Nasdaq composite index still finished with its second record high in three days, while the Dow Jones industrial average ended at the same all-time high it set a day earlier.

 

Next in Google’s Quest for Consumer Dominance: Banking

Wall Street Journal

Google will soon offer checking accounts to consumers, becoming the latest Silicon Valley heavyweight to push into finance. Big tech companies see financial services as a way to get closer to users and glean valuable data.

 

Jobs:

 

California’s new gig economy law challenged in court by truck drivers

Fresno Bee

The California Trucking Association on Tuesday filed a federal lawsuit challenging a new state new that will force businesses to treat more workers as employees entitled to benefits like overtime pay and sick leave.

See also:

 

City workers protest wages

Madera Tribune

About 60 to 70 rank-and-file city workers held a protest Wednesday night in front of the Madera City Hall, before the start of the 6 p.m. City Council meeting, to express what they called their frustrations over lack of progress with their stalled contract negotiations.

 

Food 4 Less now employee-owned

Stockton Record

Patricia and John Quinn and business partner Glenn Evans, owners of PAQ Inc., an independent franchisee of Food 4 Less grocery stores, have retired and sold their shares of the company to their employees.

 

Workers to strike over outsourcing at UC hospitals and campuses. What you need to know

Sacramento Bee

The union’s ranks include service workers such as custodians, gardeners, food service workers and facilities maintenance staff, as well as health care workers such as medical transcribers, phlebotomists, admitting clerks and respiratory therapists.

 

The future of employment in an age of automation: A long-read Q&A with Carl Benedikt Frey

AEI

Technology also boosts economic productivity, but many fear that such gains will not be fairly distributed in a coming age, as many pessimists envision a future economy composed of venture capitalists and their butlers.

 

Juul to Cut Roughly 650 Jobs, or 16% of Workers

Wall Street Journal

Juul Labs Inc. is cutting around 650 jobs, or about 16% of its total workforce, according to a Juul official, as the embattled e-cigarette maker braces for a hit in sales after voluntarily stopping the sale of its most popular flavor in the U.S.

 

McDonald's Is Sued Over 'Systemic Sexual Harassment' Of Female Workers

KVPR

A former McDonald's employee says a male co-worker at a Michigan restaurant routinely grabbed her breasts and buttocks and propositioned her for sex — allegations laid out in a new class-action lawsuit that accuses McDonald's of a "culture of sexual harassment."

 

Opinion: The minimum wage is a terrible anti-poverty strategy

AEI

The Raise the Wage Act would increase the federal minimum wage to $15 by 2025, indexing it to the median wage thereafter. Should this bill become law, the minimum wage would be $16.82 by 2029.

See also:

 

EDUCATION

 

K-12:

 

Boundary, grade changes proposed for BCSD elementary, middle schools to prepare for King Elementary

Bakersfield Californian

The Bakersfield City School District Board of Education will consider boundary and grade level changes to five elementary and middle schools as Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School prepares to open its doors in 2020.

 

Key Insights for State Action on Educational Attainment, Workforce Development

EdSource

Almost 65% of jobs today require education after high school — and that proportion is only expected to grow, leaving behind millions of Americans in states across the country. Currently, 44 million Americans are jobless or lack the skills, credentials and networks they need to earn a living wage.

 

California’s Bilingual Opportunity: Meeting the Demand for Bilingual Education Teachers to Help Students Achieve Biliteracy

California Budget & Policy Center

Nearly 2.6 million California K-12 public school students (41.8%) bring a linguistic asset with them to school every day: living in homes where a language other than English is spoken.

 

Higher Ed:

 

In wake of Supreme Court DACA hearing, UC’s Janet Napolitano defends the policy she created under Obama

Los Angeles Times

University of California President Janet Napolitano on Tuesday urged the U.S. Supreme Court to continue protections from deportation for 700,000 immigrants who were brought to the United States as children and fell into illegal status through no fault of their own.

See also:

 

College Applications Are Up and Admission Rates Are Down

Public Policy Institute of California

California colleges and universities garner the most applications in the nation. Of the top 10 most popular schools in the country, eight are in California (six UC campuses and two CSU campuses).

 

We must remove obstacles that keep veterans from earning college degrees

CalMatters

Extending the educational benefits of the Post 9/11 GI Bill. The way things stand now, tuition and fees are covered for the first 36 months a veteran is in college. But, like many students, veterans can change their mind about what to study while in school.

 

Five facts about student loans

Brookings

This 6 % owes one-third of the outstanding $1.5 trillion of debt. At the other extreme, 18 % of borrowers owe less than $5,000 in student loan debt. They collectively owe 1 % of the debt outstanding.

 

Rumors spread after 9 students die at USC, leaders say

Fresno Bee

Administrators at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles are trying to tamp down rumors and speculation after an alarming number of deaths at the school this semester.

 

ENVIRONMENT/ ENERGY

 

Environment:

 

Meet the scientist who’s been counting California butterflies for 47 years and has no plans to stop

Los Angeles Times

For nearly half a century he has meticulously tracked butterfly populations at 10 sites in north-central California, visiting each location every two weeks as long as the weather permits.

 

5 global trends shaping our climate future

New York Times

Wind turbines, solar panels and electric vehicles are spreading more quickly around the world than predicted. But this rapid growth in clean energy isn’t fast enough to slash humanity’s greenhouse gas emissions and get global warming under control.

 

Energy:

 

Glimpse of Kern’s oil-free future at EPA workshop today

Bakersfield Californian

The California Environmental Protection Agency will host a public workshop Wednesday evening at Bakersfield College's Norman Levan Center, where EPA officials, along with representatives of partner agencies, will solicit public input on two state-funded studies that focus on California's quest to achieve ambitious carbon neutrality goals by 2045.

 

One of America’s biggest solar-panel makers quits manufacturing

Los Angeles Times

SunPower Corp., one of America’s largest solar-panel makers, is giving up its manufacturing business to focus on installing rooftop solar systems.

See also:

 

Renewables Are Booming, But Not Fast Enough to Cap Greenhouse Emissions

Bloomberg

The International Energy Agency’s annual report into fuel supply and demand shows a pickup in the rate of growth for wind and solar power. But that’s not enough to curtail greenhouse gas pollution, which is on track to grow through 2040.

 

HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES

 

Health:

 

Adventist Health, Kaiser ranked safest hospitals in region

Business Journal

According to the organization’s Fall 2019 patient safety report, Kaiser Permanente Fresno — along with Adventist Health’s Selma and Hanford hospitals — were given “A” ratings.

 

Valley fever costs California about $700 million annually, study estimates

KVPR

The individual health care costs of a severe case of valley fever can be devastating. But with thousands of cases of the fungal disease each year in California, what’s the cost to society? A new study makes an astounding estimate.

 

These People Got the Flu So You Won’t Have To

Wall Street Journal

As part of a study aimed at developing a better, longer-lasting flu vaccine, participants signed up to get infected with the flu, quarantined and tracked by researchers.

 

Cholesterol levels still dropping in U.S., but many still need care

Business Journal

Some good health news: Americans’ cholesterol levels are dropping, and more people at especially high risk are getting treatment. Researchers say Monday’s report suggests a controversial change in cholesterol treatment may be starting to pay off.

 

Trump signals flexibility on plans to ban flavored vaping products

abc30

President Donald Trump has indicated that he may be open to stepping back from a full ban on flavored vaping products, saying on Twitter that he will meet with pro-vaping advocates and others to discuss plans after the White House canceled meetings with them last week.

See also:

 

Human Services:

 

Modesto recovery program settles with state. Addiction services to reopen soon

Modesto Bee

A Modesto residential recovery program will be open again Dec. 1 after reaching a settlement agreement with the California Department of Health Care Services over a state order to suspend the center’s license.

 

Google’s healthcare ambitions now involve patient data

Los Angeles Times

Alphabet Inc.’s Google is working with one of the biggest U.S. healthcare providers to develop new digital tools, giving the internet giant deep access to the personal health information of millions of Americans.

See also:

 

Surprise billing fight highlights hurdles for bolder health care changes

Roll Call

The challenge of passing legislation to stop surprise medical bills is underscoring just how hard it is in Washington to change the health care system, even in small ways, and raising questions about Democrats’ far more ambitious overhaul plans.

See also:

 

IMMIGRATION

 

Border wall opponents in court trying to stop construction

Fresno Bee

A federal appeals court heard arguments Tuesday on a bid to halt military funding for construction of President Donald Trump's border wall as the pace of construction raises questions about whether time is running out for the administration's critics.

 

75 new citizens sworn in at CSUB’s first naturalization ceremony

Bakersfield Californian

A United States citizenship is a right given to many at birth, and oftentimes most people don't think too much about its significance or importance. But it had quite a different meaning for 75 Central Valley residents Tuesday at Cal State Bakersfield.

See also:

 

Emails Show Trump Officials Consulted With GOP Strategist On Citizenship Question

KVPR

A prominent GOP redistricting strategist had direct communication with an adviser to the Trump administration concerning the addition of a citizenship question to the 2020 census, newly released emails show.

 

US held record number of migrant children in custody in 2019

AP News

This month, new government data shows the little girl is one of an unprecedented 69,550 migrant children held in U.S. government custody over the past year, enough infants, toddlers, kids and teens to overflow the typical NFL stadium.

See also:

 

LAND USE/HOUSING

 

‘Dismal’ number of new homes is Fresno’s failure, councilman says. Is there a solution?

Fresno Bee

Fresno City Councilmember Luis Chavez is pushing a new plan to expand the city’s sphere of influence — an issue past councils have argued could lead to more urban sprawl. The city adopted the latest General Plan in 2014, which restrained the city’s sphere of influence in an attempt to encourage infill projects over newer developments on the outskirts of the city.

 

Emotions among homeless mixed as tent city closes and new shelter opens

Modesto Bee

Officials will give an update Wednesday on the effort to close the Modesto Outdoor Emergency Shelter — the tent city that is home to about 450 people — in the coming weeks and relocating its residents to other shelters.

 

Boomers Want to Stay Home. Senior Housing Now Faces Budding Glut.

Wall Street Journal

The rise of technologies that help the elderly stay in their homes threatens to upend one of commercial real estate’s biggest bets: Aging baby boomers will leave their residences in droves for senior housing.

 

PUBLIC FINANCES

 

Opponents Of 'Split Roll' Property Tax Ballot Measure Accuse California Attorney General Of Rigging The System

Capital Public Radio

The initiative, known as the “Split Roll,” would raise $10 billion a year by taxing commercial properties based on their fair market value instead of their purchase price. The money would fund schools, community colleges and local governments.

 

CalPERS disability status is protected. Read the judge’s ruling

Sacramento Bee

A Sacramento County Superior Court judge ruled CalPERS doesn’t have to disclose retirees’ disability status, siding with the pension fund and four unions that defended a Transparent California lawsuit seeking the information.

 

Trump advisers exploring tax proposal that would lower ‘middle class’ rate to 15%

Washington Post

President Trump’s economic advisers are exploring whether the president should campaign for reelection proposing a 15% tax rate for the American middle class, with some seeing the idea as a simple way of selling Republicans’ economic agenda as not merely beneficial to the rich.

 

Can the Federal Reserve manage the next economic crisis?

AEI

When the next recession hits, will the government be able to stimulate growth? Massive budget deficits are pushing debt-to-GDP ratios toward new highs. Will markets balk? With its conventional tools exhausted, the Fed needs new strategies.

 

EDITORIAL: The Tax Increases to Come

Wall Street Journal

The Democratic candidates for President are promising a smorgasbord of new taxes, but why wait until 2021? Last week Maryland Senator Chris Van Hollen and Virginia Congressman Don Beyer unveiled the Millionaires Surtax Act, a plan to soak the top 0.2%.

 

TRANSPORTATION

 

Despite Newsom’s high-speed rail plan, some on project’s board have other spending ideas

Fresno Bee

Discussions at Tuesday’s state Assembly Transportation Committee hearing in Fresno highlighted the uncertainty existing within the state Legislature that fully building out Gov. Gavin Newsom’s vision of California’s high-speed rail project is the best way to proceed.

 

Highway 198 renamed after Col. Charles Young, first black superintendent of a national park

Visalia Times Delta

Sequoia National Park was a very different place when Col. Charles Young, the first black superintendent of a national park, descended the Sierra Nevada on horseback with his Buffalo Soldiers in 1903.

 

City of Clovis' free shuttle ride campaign a success

Clovis Roundup

The City of Clovis will add electric buses to its public transit fleet by the Spring of 2020, General Services Manager for the City of Clovis Amy Hance said. The shuttles were provided due to a grant from the Low Carbon Transit Operations Program.

 

WATER

 

California has six of the nation’s 1,680 high-hazard dams deemed in risky condition

Los Angeles Times

Built for flood control, irrigation, water supply, hydropower, recreation or industrial waste storage, the nation’s dams are more than half a century old on average. Some are no longer adequate to handle the intense rainfall and floods of a changing climate.

 

EDITORIAL: Dead dogs and toxic fish: Welcome to Stockton, a city choking on California water policy

Los Angeles Times

The city’s fate is linked inextricably with the San Joaquin River, which runs through town after its long trip down the western slope of the Sierra and a sharp turn north through the San Joaquin Valley. Much of the water upstream is diverted for agriculture, although a legal settlement ensures that the river no longer runs dry.

 

“Xtra”

 

14 restaurant openings you may have missed in Fresno area: From ramen to taco shops

Fresno Bee

Fresno’s restaurant scene is booming. From little taquerias to a big franchise from Texas, a swarm of restaurants have opened in recent months.

 

Dinner Theatre Receives Enthusiastic Response in Old Town

Clovis Roundup

CenterStage Clovis presented their debut dinner theatre cabaret show, Broadway Then & Now, to a sold-out crowd on November 7, 2019, at DiCicco’s Italian Restaurant in Old Town. It was a night of good food and excellent entertainment.

 

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

 

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

                                                     

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

 

 

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