POLICY & POLITICS
Valley:
Accepting Applications For The Maddy Institute Legislative Intern Scholar Programs: San Joaquin Valley (Spring) & Washington D.C./Sacramento (Summer) Qualify For A Scholarship Of Up To $6,000
The Maddy Institute
The Maddy Scholar Intern Program’s goal is to prepare the next generation of political, governmental, business, non-profit leaders for the San Joaquin Valley through internship opportunities in local, state and federal government offices in Washington, D.C., Sacramento and throughout the region.
Forget to register? Don’t worry, you can still vote
Sacramento Bee
It’s not too late to vote in the Nov. 6 election, even if you didn’t register or forgot to update your address.
Valley Brain Drain: American Cities That Are Losing the Most Brainpower
Bloomberg
California’s affluent Silicon Valley wouldn’t be expected to see an exodus of skilled and highly educated workers but a drought, a lack of opportunities and a loss of manufacturers make this a reality for another part of the state -- the hardscrabble Central Valley.
Newsom stumps for TJ Cox & Melissa Hurtado in Bakersfield
Bakersfield Californian
Seeking to help sweep the blue wave over Bakersfield, Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom stopped by Bakersfield briefly on Tuesday evening to stump for candidates Melissa Hurtado and TJ Cox.
See also:
● A blue wave is predicted for the midterms. I’m not convinced. Washington Post
Can This California Prosecutor Take Down Devin Nunes?
Rolling Stone
Andrew Janz is a straight-arrow lawman fighting to oust Trump’s top lackey in his home district
Bella Vista owner addresses David Valadao
Fresno Bee
Bella Vista Memory Care owner Donna Hurley addresses Rep. David Valadao, who has called her facility dangerous in ads targeting his Democratic challenger TJ Cox -- a minority owner at Bella Vista.
See also:
● Valadao announces Central Valley endorsements Hanford Sentinel
In this California House race, water is 'lifeblood.' Will an edge on the issue give Republican Rep. Denham a boost?
Los Angeles Times
Jake Wenger grows walnuts on land where early settlers arrived in search of gold and instead found rich soil. His orchards just west of Modesto stretch 700 acres and supply a nut company that has remained in his family for four generations.
Meet the candidates: Senate District 14
Hanford Sentinel
In State Senate District 14, incumbent Senator Andy Vidak (R-Hanford), a small businessman and farmer from Kings County, will face Democrat challenger Melissa Hurtado, a health care advocate and councilwoman from the city of Sanger.
Bus tour urges Bakersfield residents to 'vote common good'
Bakersfield Californian
When Bakersfield resident Peter Wonderly heard an evangelical group was coming to town with the purpose of holding a rally to convince conservative voters to vote against the Republican party, he decided he needed to help out.
Fresno to consider giving water use violators a break
Abc30
The city imposes fines if more than 300 gallons is used in one hour on a day when lawn watering isn't allowed. Neal doesn't even have his sprinklers on.
Did top Fresno city staffer use city email to help political campaigns?
Fresno Bee
Tim Orman, the chief of staff for Fresno Mayor Lee Brand, sent at least one campaign-related email from his city account, raising questions whether he abused public resources.
ACLU unveils staff of new Bakersfield office
Bakersfield Californian
The American Civil Liberties Union on Wednesday identified the two people who will staff its new Bakersfield: a community engagement policy advocate who grew up in Weedpatch and a staff attorney from New York who has worked on immigrant and farmworkers' rights issues.
Stockton Record’s Mike Fitzgerald Retires
Capital Public Radio
Stockton Record columnist Michael Fitzgerald retired last Friday after 33 years and more than 4,200 columns and countless hours reporting the news from San Joaquin County.
State:
Gavin Newsom & John Cox crisscross State in final stretch of the Gov's race
Los Angeles Times
California gubernatorial candidates John Cox and Gavin Newsom barnstormed California on their respective tour buses Thursday, stopping to shake hands and pose for selfies with voters across the state in the final days of the race.
See also:
● With a strong economy, California’s next governor can address these issues Fresno Bee
● How California Initiatives Went From 'Power To The People' To A Big Money Game Capital Public Radio
Here are the candidates running for statewide office in California
Los Angeles Times
More than 19 million registered voters in California have the chance to cast ballots in the November election. And they’ve got a lot to consider: Voters will elect a new U.S. senator, eight statewide officeholders and a Board of Equalization member for their district as they also weigh 11 propositions and who should represent them in the U.S. House of Representatives.
See also:
● Keep an eye on California's down-ballot races — they could shape the state's politics and policy for years to come Los Angeles Times
● My turn: What the next lieutenant governor must do CALmatters
Here's a look at the 11 props California voters will weigh on Nov. 6
Los Angeles Times
As Californians consider the complicated questions posed by the propositions on the 2018 statewide ballot, they can take some solace in knowing that the list could have been much longer.
See also:
● Hey, California, time to see the light on permanent daylight saving time Fresno Bee
California Nation podcast: 48 hours in the most heated congressional races
Sacramento Bee
Orange County has become the epicenter of a national discussion about a possible blue wave in Tuesday’s election. If Democrats want to regain control in the U.S. House, they’ll likely need to pick up a few seats in California.
Who To Thank (Or Blame) For California’s Version Of Direct Democracy
Capital Public Radio
How California came to have one of the most powerful, and least flexible initiative processes in the world.
A California user’s guide to political polls: Six easy tips CALmatters
You may rightly wonder: What kind of statistical black magic is performed behind the scenes to produce any given poll? Keep these tips in mind.
A Voter’s Guide to Election Security
Pew Center
Americans are now voting in the first major election since Russians launched a broad assault on the 2016 presidential campaign.
Oil industry spends millions to boost California Democrats
CALmatters
The California Democratic Party no longer accepts donations from the oil industry, viewing that as politically unsavory for a party pushing to curb climate change. But that hasn’t stopped oil companies from spending millions to help California Democrats win on Tuesday.
and the millions of Californians for whom college is only a dream.
California: Latino voter apathy reflects disconnected media
Colombian Journalism Review
California is home to 7.7 million eligible Latino voters, the largest such population in the US. When Democrats envision the “blue wave” that will wash the House of its Republican majority, they often attribute its power to Latino voter participation.
Krugman: A Party Defined by Its Lies
New York Times
At this point, good people can’t be good Republicans.
EDITORIAL: Don't sit there and let the country fall into chaos. Get up and vote
Los Angeles Times
If you haven’t done so already, please vote. Even if it’s inconvenient, even if you’re not excited about the candidates, even if you’re fed up with the toxic politics in Washington. This is no time to ignore your most fundamental and crucial civic responsibility.
Federal:
Fact-checking Trump's campaign rallies: the final stretch
PolitiFact
We're fact-checking the biggest falsehoods from President Donald Trump's final push of rallies before Election Day. This story will be updated as Trump moves around the country in support of Republican candidates for Congress and state governor.
See also:
● Leading up to midterms, Trump makes average of 30 false or misleading claims a day Washington Post
● Donald Trump says NYSE opened a day after 9/11. It didn't PolitiFact
● Is Trump's constant campaign helping his party? It depends where you look Los Angeles Times
● Obama and Trump Jockey Over Legacy at Campaign Rallies Wall Street Journal
● EDITORIAL: We’ve got an idea for the title of Trump’s next book Modesto Bee
● Zakaria: GOP has become the party of fake news and paranoid fantasies Washington Post
Los Angeles Times
Election day is less than a week away, but more than 27 million Americans are apparently so psyched or angry or frightened or inspired or whatever drives people to the polls that they have already cast their ballots.
See also:
● Republicans Show Strength in Early Voting Wall Street Journal
Republicans and Democrats have very different closing arguments. Pay attention.
Washington Post
The “closing argument” is a cliche of campaign season. But there is truth at its core. Many voters tune in just for the last few days before Election Day. They look up from lives pressed by the needs of families and friends, aging parents, struggling students and high school football to ask: For whom should I vote?
See also:
● I thought Democrats would appreciate my first-ever donation. I was wrong. Washington Post
● Republicans’ closing argument: Be afraid, be very afraid Washington Post
Birthright Citizenship:
● Law experts weigh in on Trump's call to end birthright citizenship abc30
● The Case Against Birthright Citizenship Wall Street Journal
● Birthright Citizenship Is a Constitutional Mandate Wall Street Journal
● Can Donald Trump end birthright citizenship with an executive order? Probably not PolitiFact
● Legal scholars dismiss Trump's plan to challenge Constitution's protection for citizenship at birth Los Angeles Times
‘If women vote, they will decide’ midterms, Dianne Feinstein says
Fresno Bee
California Sen. Dianne Feinstein thinks women will be a strong factor in determining whether Democrats can break Republican control of Congress.
In a highly partisan era, those who dislike both sides could have the deciding votes
Los Angeles Times
In this and every election, both sides devote huge resources to getting their partisans to turn out and vote — “motivating the base,” in the jargon of politics.
Why Not ‘Trump Retirement Accounts’?
Wall Street Journal
To stir up excitement before the midterms, President Trump last week said he plans to cut middle-class taxes again in the coming year. The trouble is that Republicans have been so successful in cutting taxes in recent years that 44% of Americans no longer pay any federal income tax at all, and many more pay very little.
Wall Street Journal
Americans love to hate Congress, and no wonder given the careerists and poseurs in both parties. But some Congresses matter more than others, and the 115th has accomplished more useful conservative reform than any since the first Newt Gingrich years of 1995-1996.
See also:
● Some GOP Lawmakers Reckon With Their Tax Vote Record Wall Street Journal
White House concerned Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke violated federal rules
Washington Post
The White House is growing increasingly concerned about allegations of misconduct against Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, according to two senior administration officials, and President Trump has asked aides for more information about a Montana land deal under scrutiny by the Justice Department.
Other:
Nearly 80% of Americans concerned lack of civility in politics will lead to violence, poll says
PBS
Days after a failed mail bomb plot and a deadly shooting at a Pittsburgh synagogue, most Americans say they are concerned that a lack of civility in Washington, D.C., will lead to violence, including acts of terror, according to the latest poll from the PBS NewsHour, NPR and Marist.
See also:
● Anger toward media spreads into local communities APnews
● The Roots of Political Polarization Wall Street Journal
● Stivers vs. King Weekly Standard
‘God Is Going to Have to Forgive Me’: Young Evangelicals Speak Out
New York Times
The role of evangelical Christianity in American politics has been a hotly discussed topic this year, intersecting with front-burner issues like immigration, the Supreme Court and social justice. Often the loudest evangelical voices are white, male and … not young.
O'Connor, Rehnquist And A Supreme Marriage Proposal
NPR
Some personal secrets are so well-kept that even family and friends are oblivious. So it is with the story of the late Chief Justice William Rehnquist's marriage proposal to a Stanford Law School classmate in the early 1950s.
AGRICULTURE/FOOD
Save Mart is changing its look and feel, but not its valley grown pride
Modesto Bee
The fresh face leading Modesto-based grocery giant Save Mart wants to bring fresh ideas, a fresh look and fresh experience to the Central Valley.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE / FIRE / PUBLIC SAFETY
Crime:
Fact check: Trump’s claim that Democrats let cop killer stay in U.S. is false
Sacramento Bee
President Donald Trump’s closing argument for the midterm elections includes a tweet featuring convicted cop killer Luis Bracamontes, who killed two Sacramento-area deputies in a 2014 rampage.
Lock them up? Senator proposes prison for CEOs who abuse people’s personal data
Fresno Bee
Oregon Senator Ron Wyden’s Consumer Data Protection Act threatens tech executives with prison time and fines if they mishandle consumers data and personal information. It would be enforced by the FTC.
Report rips California prison psychiatric care, cites horrifying case of inmate who ate her eyeball
San Francisco Chronicle
California’s chief prison psychiatrist has issued a scathing report on management of mental health care in the prisons, saying officials are misrepresenting the care given to thousands of prisoners and are jeopardizing the health of inmates.
See Also:
● EDITORIAL: Don’t care about criminals? Maybe you should care about what their care is costing you Sacramento Bee
Public Safety:
Trump weaponizes immigration frenzy with killings, but crime data aren't on his side
Los Angeles Times
They have been touted as the faces of illegal immigration, chilling examples of murderous men.
Grant helps fund DUI prevention in state
Hanford Sentinel
A campaign to reduce impaired driving, supported by the California Highway Patrol (CHP) and the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS), will focus on education and enforcement. The new Reducing Alcohol Impaired Driving (RAID) program will run from Oct. 1 to Sept. 30, 2019.
Gun suicides far outpace gun homicides. Here's why that statistic matters
Los Angeles Times
People who buy firearms for self-protection from criminal attacks or home invasions — even though firearms offer more reassurance than actual protection — may not be aware of the other related risks.
Fire:
California Power Customers File Claims In Pre-Emptive Outage
Capital Public Radio
Pacific Gas & Electric Company said Wednesday it received 146 demands for reimbursement from Northern California customers who say the company's controversial decision to cut power to prevent wildfires hurt them economically.
ECONOMY / JOBS
Economy:
Here’s an economic renewal program for California’s next governor
Fresno Bee
Gavin Newsom and John Cox haven’t talked enough about California’s economic future before the Nov. 6, 2018 election. We need a new economic approach that recognizes some challenging realities.
U.S. Added 250,000 Jobs in October; Unemployment at 3.7%
New York Times
The Labor Department released its hiring and unemployment figures for October on Friday morning, providing the latest snapshot of the American economy.
See also:
● The American Wage Boom Wall Street Journal
● Is Hispanic household income at a record high, as Donald Trump says? PolitiFact
● Most Americans aren't financially healthy despite booming economy, survey finds Los Angeles Times
Jobs:
Häagen-Dazs will layoff 1,000 employees ahead of statewide ice cream slow down
Visalia Times Delta
While summer is the season of ice cream, winter is not.
Kern proposes $3 million hiring incentive for Amazon
Bakersfield Californian
Amazon would receive $3 million in local tax rebates in exchange for employing 1,000 Kern County residents at the 2.6 million-square-foot distribution center the retail giant is building next to Meadows Field Airport, according to a proposal released Thursday.
Pathways to high-quality jobs for young adults
Brookings
Martha Ross, Nicole Bateman, and authors from Child Trends share findings on the disparities that exist in employment outcomes among 29-year-old Americans from disadvantaged and non-disadvantaged backgrounds, and offer recommendations for making the path to economic security more accessible for young adults.
EDUCATION
K-12:
Teachers ordered fourth-grader to do pushups for talking in class. Was it appropriate?
Fresno Bee
Two Fresno, Ca, teachers are on trial in Superior Court, accused in a civil lawsuit of humiliating a fourth-grade student by making her do pushups and other physical exercises in a classroom filled with students.
Clovis North students dine blindfolded to get a taste of life without sight
Fresno Bee
Clovis North High School students in Joel Abels’ drama class experienced a different act Thursday: life without sight. It was part of “Savory for the Senses,” a lunch where the students were blindfolded. A classmate is blind.
See Also:
● Clovis Unified High School students participate in an 'eye-opening' experience abc30
School bond measure on ballot
Hanford Sentinel
Measure D is a $26 million school bond measure for Lemoore Union Elementary School District to be used for improvement projects if passed by 55 percent of voters.
What makes this forest enchanted? Keep reading and find out
Modesto Bee
Stanislaus Library’s Scholastic Book Fair will help get books into the hands of children and keep our community moving ahead.
Data exclusive: With California school bonds, the rich get richer and the poor, not so much
CALmatters
Schools in California’s wealthier communities have been reaping far more local bond money than poorer districts, a CALmatters analysis shows—a reality that amplifies existing inequities for the state’s public school students.
Are K–12 Students Keeping Pace in English?
PPIC
The picture is somewhat more promising for English. Growth in English test scores generally outpaced the state standards—meaning more students were gaining mastery of English than in prior years. Moreover, the growth in 2018 English scores was much higher than in 2017.
Higher Ed:
Up before dawn, Fresno State community kicks off Day of Giving at Save Mart Center rally
Fresno Bee
A spirited rally kicked off Fresno State’s Day of Giving, which gathers alumni, faculty, staff, parents, students and friends for events to raise funds for students within Fresno State’s schools, colleges and university programs.
Saint Agnes to begin Family Medicine Physician Residency program following new accreditation
abc30
Saint Agnes has just been accredited and can now begin its first Family Medicine Physician Residency program. The Family Medicine Residency will welcome its first class in July of 2019.
West Hills Community College District plans Essential Elements Series
Hanford Sentinel
Registration for the seventh session in West Hills Community College District’s premier policy series – Essential Elements – is still open. The session, Radical Surgery: San Joaquin Valley Health Care Careers, is set for Nov. 8 and takes an unprecedented look at the challenges and changes faced by the Central Valley’s health care industry.
WORTH NOTING: Paralympic medalist to speak at Bakersfield College's Distinguished Speaker series
Bakersfield Californian
Oz Sanchez, a former marine and three-time Paralympic medalist, will speak at Bakersfield College at 7 p.m., Tuesday, in the Levan Center.
Apprenticeships:
Adaptation of national apprenticeship systems to advanced manufacturing
Eurofound
Apprenticeships combining alternating periods at the workplace and in training institutions are well suited to providing young people with an entry point into the labour market and to supplying enterprises with skilled workers.
ENVIRONMENT/ ENERGY
District to spray for mosquitoes
Stockton Record
The San Joaquin County Mosquito & Vector Control District will conduct ground spraying using Pyrocide 7067.
How Greens Humiliate Themselves
Wall Street Journal
Despite its general lack of merit, a lawsuit by the New York attorney general’s office is an entertaining symbol of all that has gone wrong with the green movement in the era of climate-change politics.
Sciencemag.org
California's new earthquake warning system delivers just seconds of notice. Even that is a victory.
See also:
● A San Andreas fault mystery: The 'slow-moving disaster' in an area where the Big One is feared Los Angeles Times
HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES
Health:
This marijuana-based drug is FDA approved and the first to be available in the U.S.
Fresno Bee
FDA-approved drug Epidiolex is now available in the U.S, GW Pharmaceuticals said. The cannabis-based drug can treat seizures with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet syndrome. CBD is derived from marijuana.
Annual Central Valley Sleep Conference aims at reducing infant deaths
abc30
Through the Annual Central Valley Sleep Conference, the Fresno County Department of Public Health is hoping no more children are claimed by SIDS, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.
Human Services:
State audit blasts former Tulare hospital board members
Visalia Times-Delta
Tulare Regional Medical Center representatives will get a chance to respond to a state audit, which some said lacked information.
City of Madera passes funding to help with animal overpopulation problem
abc30
A $1.5 million grant a few years ago helped pay to spay and neuter more than 20,000 animals in the last four years. The board of supervisors also approved $200,000 on Tuesday to help fund the low-cost spay and neuter program.
Anti-Vaccination Groups Align With Outsider Candidate Against Lawmaker Who Wrote California’s Vaccine Law
Capital Public Radio
Incumbent state Sen. Richard Pan is vying to keep his seat. His opponent, independent Eric Frame, is running on a platform that includes loosening the vaccine requirements that Pan put in place.
Republican candidates say they would protect sick Americans but fight coverage for poorest patients
Los Angeles Times
Though Republican candidates across the country are increasingly insisting on the campaign trail that they will protect people with preexisting medical conditions, virtually all of them continue to oppose expanding coverage to their poorest constituents through Medicaid.
IMMIGRATION
Trump says he will hold asylum seekers from Central America in massive tent cities
Fresno Bee
President Donald Trump said days before the midterms that he would require Central American asylum seekers to be held on border while cases are adjudicated.
See Also:
● Trump: US troops should treat rocks as ‘rifles’ Stockton Record
● EDITORIAL: A reckless misuse of the military San Francisco Chronicle
President Trump is wrong: Immigration makes us a greater nation
Los Angeles Times
As election day nears, the noise out of the White House on immigration has been deafening, a torrent of lies and assertions designed to reinforce the misperception that immigrants — including, but not only, those who come to the country illegally — are a danger, an invading force that must be stopped.
How Trump has used three horrific California slaying cases to demonize immigrants
Los Angeles Times
From the time President Trump stepped onto the campaign trail more than two years ago he’s pointed to three high-profile California slaying cases to highlight the dangers of what he contends is the country’s broken immigration system.
LAND USE/HOUSING
Couch, Board of Supervisors announce outreach efforts to combat homelessness in District 4 areas
Bakersfield Californian
Kern County District 4 Supervisor David Couch announced the beginning of a new outreach effort to combat homelessness in District 4, which includes the cities of Delano, McFarland and Wasco.
Volunteers needed for Stanislaus homeless count; changes aimed at improving results
Modesto Bee
Organizers of the upcoming annual homeless count say the tally will be better planned and organized and encompass more of Stanislaus County in an effort to better respond to the growing homelessness crisis.
How California has become a national battleground for rent control as money flows in from landlords
Los Angeles Times
For some of California’s largest real estate investors, the fight over an initiative to expand rent control goes beyond the state’s borders. They’ve opened their wallets to prove it.
California Today: The Homeless Millennial Connection
New York Times
Voters in San Francisco next week will decide whether to aggressively ramp up funding to combat homelessness. A tax on large businesses known as Proposition C would raise up to $300 million annually.
PUBLIC FINANCES
IRS boosts contribution limits for retirement accounts
Los Angeles Times
The Internal Revenue Service has increased the contribution limits for various retirement accounts for 2019.
Everything You Need to Know About the New Tax Law—Before the End of the Year
Wall Street Journal
A year ago, Republicans in Congress enacted the largest tax overhaul in a generation. Most provisions are now in effect.
TRANSPORTATION
Bullet-train foes lose another round in court fight against construction in the Valley
Fresno Bee
California’s embattled high-speed rail project has survived yet another major legal challenge after a judge in Sacramento rejected claims by opponents over the use of state bonds to finance construction of the project.
See Also:
● Bullet train survives legal challenge as judge tosses lawsuit over bond funds Los Angeles Times
New set of Highway 269 bridges will protect town of Huron from flooding
abc30
Thursday CalTrans had a groundbreaking ceremony for a set of new bridges on Highway 269. The $30 million project will elevate the highway 15 feet higher from its current position.
RTD adding weekend bus service to Dublin BART station
Stockton Record
Soon there will be a new option for San Joaquin County residents who want to travel to the Bay Area on the weekend. The San Joaquin Regional Transit District has announced it is adding weekend bus service to the Dublin BART station beginning Saturday.
Brown campaigning for pet cause: killing gas-tax repeal
San Francisco Chronicle
Gov. Jerry Brown is about to do something he hasn’t done in the run-up to Tuesday’s election. He’s hitting the campaign trail.
WATER
Did you get a fine for excessive water use? Your wallet will want to hear this
Fresno Bee
The Fresno City Council during a special meeting on Thursday unanimously passed a moratorium on water fines retroactive to Oct. 1. The vote came after city leaders Tuesday acknowledged residents’ confusion and anger when thousands received fines in October for excessive outdoor watering.
How next week’s expected State Water Board vote will trigger a flood of lawsuits
Modesto Bee
Most signs point to the State Water Board approving a much-disputed river flow plan next week that will mean less water for farms and cities in the Northern San Joaquin Valley.
Oroville Dam repairs aren’t enough, feds warn. Should state be forced to plan for a mega-flood?
Sacramento Bee
Federal regulators are raising new concerns about the troubled Oroville Dam, telling California officials their recently rebuilt flood-control spillways likely couldn’t handle a mega-flood.
See Also:
● Oroville Dam fixed and ready to go, officials say — but at a big price San Francisco Chronicle
“Xtra”
This ‘old-time rock and roller’ is on his final tour. And he’ll play the Save Mart Center
Fresno Bee
It looks like the Save Mart Center will have a loaded calendar for the first part of 2019. On Monday, the arena announced Kiss will be stopping through on it End of the Road tour. The following week, Bob Seger will play the arena on his final tour with the Silver Bullet Band.
Downtown Fresno artist Marcos Dorado launches portrait series project for Fresno Bee’s Fresno Famous
Fresno Bee
Downtown Fresno artist Marcos Dorado will embark on a series of portraits of people in the community from all walks of life, some who never see the spotlight, in a project for Fresno Famous, who have a story to tell.
Visalia Fox gets ready for busy November with concerts, movies
Visalia Times-Delta
November at the Visalia Fox Theatre is all about bringing back favorite shows that have pretty much sold out in the past — comedian Carlos Mencia, Grammy-winning Mariachi Sol de Mexico, and Lyle Lovett.