POLICY & POLITICS
#GivingTuesday is coming up and we are proud to be a part of the global celebration of giving
The Maddy Institute
Do you believe in civility in our public discourse? Do you want public policy decisions driven by facts, not emotions? Do you want to encourage integrity in the next generation of Valley leaders? If your answer to these questions are “yes,” we hope you will consider joining us in that effort by supporting the Maddy Institute--the Valley's public policy institute.
North SJ Valley:
Republican was a dirty word in California this year. Just ask Jeff Denham.
Modesto Bee
If Republicans in California don’t re-evaluate strategy, even the reddest districts in California could be at-risk in future elections, warned Rep. Jeff Denham, who lost his 2018 House race.
Central SJ Valley:
Valley Democrats criticize Newsom for lack of representation in transition advisers
Fresno Bee
The Democratic parties of Fresno, Tulare and Kings counties criticized incoming Gov. Gavin Newsom in a joint letter Monday for what they say is a lack of representation – particularly among the Latino and Hispanic communities – on a recently announced advisory group.
South SJ Valley:
Cox closes to within 1,000 votes of Valadao with Kern County update
Fresno Bee
Fresno Democrat TJ Cox is less than 1,000 votes behind incumbent David Valadao, the Hanford Republican, in their race to represent California’s 21st Congressional District.
See Also:
● Democrat Cox pulls closer to Valadao Bakersfield Californian
● GOP Rep. Valadao clinging to slim lead over Democrat T.J. Cox in updated vote tally Los Angeles Times
We should understand the people with whom we disagree
Bakersfield Californian
Sadly, as political engagement and voter participation rise across the country, they have been accompanied, more often than not, by a bitter tribalism and disintegration of civility. In some cases, violence and terrorism erupt.
State:
Let’s get philosophical, then practical, on housing and transportation
Fresno Bee
Gavin Newsom needs to start a “grand conversation” that extends beyond specialists and interest groups to reach deeply into California society.
Another House Win Caps Democratic Rout In California
Capital Public Radio
Democrat Gil Cisneros captured a Republican-held U.S. House seat in Southern California, capping a Democratic rout in which the party picked up six congressional seats in the state.
See Also:
● Congressman-elect Gil Cisneros promises access and action on healthcare, gun laws and immigration Los Angeles Times
● How Donald Trump helped Dems flip California House seats CALmatters
For California Republicans, 2020 could be worse than 2018
Sacramento Bee
California’s last outstanding congressional race was finally called for Democrats over the weekend, ending a brutal election cycle for the state’s Republicans.
See also:
● Why a Republican incumbent thinks he lost in California Sacramento Bee
● Endangered Republicans: California’s last 8 in Congress San Jose Mercury News
California Supreme Court won't consider complaint over missing absentee ballot signatures
Los Angeles Times
The California Supreme Court refused on Monday to block counties from accepting late absentee ballot signatures, a practice election officials have said isn’t explicitly banned under a new state law. The court denied the petition filed by Brian Harrington, a San Diego resident and campaign consultant to a Republican running for an Orange County Assembly seat.
How California conservatives became the intellectual engine of Trumpism
VOX
The California GOP got wiped out in the midterms. But the heart of California-style conservatism is stronger than ever.
Californians’ Priorities for the Next Governor
PPIC
While we are still counting votes in California, the 2018 election can be called a sweeping success for Democratic candidates in the statewide races.
Federal:
Ivanka Trump used personal email account to send emails about government business
Fresno Bee
Ivanka Trump sent hundreds of government-related emails to aides, Cabinet officials and her assistants with a personal account, according to people familiar with a White House examination of her correspondence.
See Also:
● Ivanka Trump used personal email account for government business Stockton Record
● Ivanka Trump used personal account to send emails about government business Los Angeles Times
White House drops press pass suspension effort; outlines rules to reporters
abc30
The White House dropped efforts to suspend CNN's chief White House correspondent Jim Acosta's press pass Monday and outlined rules to reporters to maintain access.
See Also:
● CNN drops lawsuit against White House after Jim Acosta's press pass is fully restored Los Angeles Times
Trump sets off storm by criticizing retired Navy admiral
Stockton Record
President Donald Trump has ignited a firestorm of criticism and charges that he is politicizing the military by faulting a war hero for not capturing al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden sooner.
In threat to Pelosi, 16 Dems say they’ll back new leadership
Sacramento Bee
Sixteen Democrats who've opposed Nancy Pelosi's quest to become speaker released a letter Monday saying they will vote for "new leadership" when the House picks its leaders in January, underscoring a significant threat to her effort to lead her party's House majority in the next Congress.
See Also:
● The big question for new House Dems: Will you back Pelosi? Sacramento Bee
● Battle over Pelosi’s bid for speaker reveals the dysfunction in Congress Modesto Bee
● Nancy Pelosi Works to Quell Dissent Within Her Party Wall Street Journal
● 16 Pelosi Opponents Sign Letter Saying They Won't Vote For Her for Speaker Roll Call
● Why Nancy Pelosi Won't Back Down Roll Call
● Nancy Pelosi’s Last Battle New York Times
● EDITORIAL: Give Nancy Pelosi the gavel San Francisco Chronicle
Democratic senators sue over Whitaker’s appointment as AG
Sacramento Bee
Three Democratic senators have filed a lawsuit challenging the appointment of Matthew Whitaker as acting attorney general.In a week honoring the sacrifice of America's warriors, President Trump appeared to claim that he visited Arlington National Cemetery on Veterans Day last year and asserted that veterans, thanks to him, no longer face long waits for medical care. Neither is true.
See also:
● Midterms, veterans and Adam Schiff: Trump's words and math just don't add up Los Angeles Times
● The 2018 midterm vote: Divisions by race, gender, education Pew Research Center
Washington Post
Trump administration officials have privately discussed the possibility that in the future census information could be shared with law enforcement, according to documents filed in a legal challenge over plans for a new citizenship question on the 2020 survey.
See also:
● Counting on the 2020 Census The James Irvine Foundation
Divide States to Democratize the Senate
Wall Street Journal
A constitutionally sound fix to a vexing political problem.
Americans Turned to Trump to Roll Back the Progressive Tide
Wall Street Journal
To understand his appeal, look at the excesses of liberals in recent years. He’s a wall against the wave.
Provisional Ballots Protect Voting Rights — When They Are Counted
PEW
More than a week after Election Day, much remains murky in Georgia and Florida. But one thing is clear: Provisional ballots, often forgotten and minimized, will help determine the results.
Black Voters Propelled Blue Wave, Study Finds
Roll Call
Democratic wins in the 2018 midterms were driven largely by African American voters — particularly black women — who increasingly associate the GOP with President Trump’s perceived hostility toward people of color and immigrants, according to an analysis released Monday.
Other:
My turn: Hope must not be squeezed from our souls
CALmatters
The lunch discussion centered on the current question that is in vogue everywhere these days: Has the country ever been as divided as it is today?
Weekly Standard
More than a year later, two of the most powerful figures in America with reputations for unwanted sexual advances and more than a few allegations of inappropriate and even criminal behavior between them continue to avoid the same fate: Bill Clinton and Donald Trump.
‘Nothing on this page is real’: How lies become truth in online America
Washington Post
Christopher Blair's political satire page — started during the 2016 presidential campaign as a practical joke by him and a few other liberal bloggers — has become one of the most popular on Facebook among Trump-supporting conservatives over 55.
AGRICULTURE/FOOD
ABC30 and The Walt Disney Company give to Central California Food Bank
abc30
Volunteers with the Central California Food Bank are getting ready for one of the most important food distributions of the year.
See Also:
● Small box, big impact: More than 2,000 receive Thanksgiving food boxes Stockton Record
California dairies and farms collect $10 million in trade-war aid
Los Angeles Times
California dairies collected $10.5 million in emergency federal aid for losses caused by the trade war ignited by President Trump’s tariffs on steel and other products, according to federal data.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE / FIRE / PUBLIC SAFETY
Crime:
One Stanislaus County city moves to control ‘unmanageable problem with fireworks’
Modesto Bee
Violators of the new ordinance, if finalized on Dec. 11, could be fined $250, or $750 for a third offense. The proposal was prompted by “what’s become an unmanageable problem with fireworks in Riverbank,” said City Clerk Annabelle Aguilar.
Visalia Chief: 'We are angry' after 2 cops arrested, face prison
Visalia Times-Delta
Two Visalia detectives who have patrolled the streets for more than a decade each will now face the legal system after accusations of misconduct while serving multiple search warrants in Tulare.
EDITORIAL: Bipartisan criminal-justice reform could happen soon — if the 1990s wing of the GOP gets out of the way
Los Angeles Times
A federal criminal-justice reform bill designed to make sentencing more rational and inmates’ return to society more successful has bipartisan support and last week won the backing of President Trump. But in the current topsy-turvy political landscape, that may not be enough.
Public Safety:
This trauma surgeon patches up gunshot wounds. Here’s what he says about gun safety
Fresno Bee
Doctors by the thousands took to social media this past week to rebut a National Rifle Association tweet scolding them to “stay in their lane” and get out of the gun-safety debate, but missing from the national tweetstorm was Dr. James Davis, Fresno’s leading trauma surgeon.
See Also:
● Tobacco and alcohol companies have to post warnings about their products. Why do gun vendors get a pass? Los Angeles Times
Fire:
California wildfires: What fires are burning now and where are they?
Fresno Bee
Firefighters are battling two massive California wildfires late in the fire season, including a Northern California blaze that has killed at least 79 people and destroyed more than 9,700 homes. Nearly 700 people remain missing.
Not leaving 'hell zone': Some living on amid wildfire ruins despite orders to evacuate
Hanford Sentinel
A small group of fire survivors who have defied orders to leave and decided to stick it out in the blackened and smoldering landscape.
Camp Fire update: 77 now dead, 993 still listed as missing
Sacramento Bee
The number of reported dead in Butte County’s Camp Fire did not increase overnight, remaining at 77 on Monday morning, Cal Fire said in an incident report.
See Also:
● ‘Some of these people are not going to be identified.’ Naming Camp Fire victims an uncertain task Sacramento Bee
● 77 Killed In California's Camp Fire As Number Of Missing Drops To 993 VPR
● Frustration, Chaos As Camp Wildfire Recovery Drags On, Death Toll Climbs To 79 Capital Public Radio
● As Makeshift Camp Fire Shelters Close, Another Chance For Authorities To Check A Shifting List Of The Missing Capital Public Radio
Flash-flood watch issued, residents in Camp Fire area urged to watch for evacuations if storm grows
Sacramento Bee
National Weather Service has issued a flash flood watch for Northern California wildfire burn areas, including the Camp Fire, due to forecast rain storms Residents in Carr Fire, Mendocino Complex areas are also being warned.
See Also:
● Rain could hamper search for victims of California wildfire Sacramento Bee
● Rain in the forecast for California fire areas brings concern over possible debris flow Los Angeles Times
PG&E reports second power line problem before Camp Fire. Paradise residents file lawsuits
Sacramento Bee
A week after reporting a power-line outage near where the Camp Fire is suspected of starting, Pacific Gas & Electric said in a regulatory filing that it suffered a second problem with a high voltage line the morning the devastating fire ignited.
See Also:
● Victims of the Camp fire file class action lawsuit against PG&E Los Angeles Times
● Did Camp Fire have second start? PG&E filing points to other possible origin San Francisco Chronicle
● Power companies must do more to fireproof their equipment, but it won’t be cheap—and customers may pay CALmatters
California fires: Trump administration now blames devastation on 'radical environmentalists'
Los Angeles Times
The political battle between the Trump administration and California over blame for the the devastating wildfires that have killed scores and left nearly 1,000 missing continued Monday.
U.S. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke blamed the state’s fires on “radical environmentalists” who he said have prevented forest management.
See also:
● Zinke’s #2 has so many potential conflicts of interest he has to carry a list of them all Washington Post
Angry elves and maskless macho: The world reacts to Trump and Newsom togetherness
Sacramento Bee
On Saturday, the President of the United States met for the first time with the governor and governor-elect of the most populous state — Donald Trump joined Jerry Brown and Gavin Newsom to tour the devastation wrought by fires in Northern and Southern California.
See Also:
● Trump’s misdirection on Calif fires, climate Fresno Bee
● Trump, Brown And Newsom Tour Wildfire Devastation In Paradise Capital Public Radio
● Trump administration now blames devastation on 'radical environmentalists' Los Angeles Times
● Trump’s claim of poor California forest management rings true — to a degree San Francisco Chronicle
● EDITORIAL: So far, so good: Newsom, Trump must continue to keep politics out of fire response Sacramento Bee
California wildfires: Finland bemused by Trump raking comment
BBC
Finns have been baffled by US President Donald Trump's comments praising the country for managing its vast forests by raking. Citing a conversation with his Finnish counterpart, Mr Trump said they spend "a lot of time on raking and cleaning".
See also:
● Finland to President Trump: We don't rake the forest floor, but we do other things you should emulate Los Angeles Times
Have some cash or a spare gift card? How you can help Camp fire victims
Modesto Bee
As the deadliest fire in California history rages on, Modesto-area agencies and businesses are rallying to help.
California isn’t built for 21st century wildfires—here’s what the state could do about that
CALmatters
That June, a fire broke out in one of the canyons southwest of the Butte County town and quickly roared east, up and over the ridge. Thousands scrambled to evacuate, clogging the single road to safety. A sudden wind shift allowed firefighters to cordon off the flames, but the experience left residents intimately aware of the risks of living in Paradise.
See Also:
● Trying to get a handle on California’s deadly wildfires has lawmakers flummoxed Los Angeles Times
● Deadly California fires prompt bold thinking about prevention: Shelters, strict zoning, buyouts Los Angeles Times
California Today: Risking All to Save Helltown From Burning
New York Times
The wildfire that would become the deadliest in California’s history had just begun ripping through Paradise when Dharma Tony LaRocca started worrying about Helltown.
Stay or Go? For This Californian, That’s an Easy Choice
New York Times
The Carr Fire burned for six weeks and scorched about 230,000 acres — a bigger area than the five boroughs of New York City combined. It destroyed about 1,600 buildings and killed at least three people. Its smoke carried halfway across the country, proving that California’s influence spreads in peculiar ways.
EDITORIAL: California’s choice: Let it burn, or figure out how to fight these deadly fires
Modesto Bee
Our forests are dry and diseased and ready to burn. We must marshal all our resources – better logging practices, more defensible space, better rules on where to live – or more Californians will lose their lives.
ECONOMY / JOBS
Economy:
Mexico expects lifting of steel and aluminum tariffs, possibly as new NAFTA deal is inked
Fresno Bee
Mexico’s top diplomat in the United States said Monday he expects the Trump administration to lift — or being the process of lifting — U.S. steel and aluminum tariffs imposed against his country when a new trade agreement is slated to be signed with Mexico and Canada later this month.
Sacramento Amazon center reopens one week after Camp Fire smoke led to closure
Sacramento Bee
Following a weeklong closure brought on by horrible air quality in the area, Amazon’s fulfillment and warehousing center at Sacramento International Airport has reopened, an Amazon spokesperson confirmed.
Last year, Californians got $17.3 million from lost insurance policies. Do you have one?
Sacramento Bee
Californians have claimed more than $17.3 million in life insurance benefits in the last 12 months, and more than $33.8 million since the state debuted its “Life Insurance Policy Locator,” according to the California Department of Insurance.
Keeping the CA Dream alive and thriving in the Central Valley
California FWD
Let’s get something straight: Central Valley people know full well we’re not exactly living in paradise.
Dow tumbles more than 550 points in early trading, wiping out all gains this year
Washington Post
Global markets tumbled Tuesday heading toward the Thanksgiving holiday as the weeks-long swoon in technology stocks deepened and dragged other sectors — including retail — with it.
U.S. Manufacturers Push FTC to Crack Down on False ‘Made in America’ Labels
Wall Street Journal
Companies see opportunity in Washington-Beijing trade dispute.
Jobs:
Poor air quality forcing businesses to implement measures to protect employees who work outside
abc30
A smoky haze is still hanging over the city of Merced. With the air quality levels still at unhealthy levels, employers are doing what they can to keep their workers safe.
JCPenney continues fighting serious losses
abc30
JCPenney hopes to avoid the same fate as its rival, Sears. According to CNN, the department store reported a third quarter loss of $151 million, which is smaller than what was expected.
Study: Absent major changes, new groundwater rules will cost Kern 24,000 jobs
Bakersfield Now
Absent major changes to farming practices and an increase in water supply, Kern County's farming juggernaut will have to shrink considerably to meet aggressive new targets for conservation.
October 2018 Jobs Report
California Center for Jobs
The Labor Force data for October 2018 (seasonally adjusted; California preliminary) is shown below, along with the change from the prior month.
Can the unemployment rate fall too low?
Brookings
David Wessel explains why America’s unemployment rate—the lowest since 1969 and still falling—is feeding a debate among economists at the Federal Reserve about how quickly to raise interest rates in the coming months.
Make It Easier for Companies to Offer 401(k)s
Wall Street Journal
Congress should let small employers band together to give employees access to a common retirement plan.
EDUCATION
K-12:
YHS foreign exchange student uses project to give classmates a taste of his home
Sierra Star
Exchange student Arya Dika has spent most of the school year acclimating himself to his new school and new living space in Oakhurst, but last Wednesday he treated some of his Yosemite High School classmates to a taste of his true home.
Defense: DA’s office trying to ‘destroy’ former SJ schools Trustee Mark Thiel
Stockton Record
Lead defense attorney N. Allen Sawyer accuses the San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office of trying to “destroy” his client. Sawyer’s pro bono assistant, retired Deputy D.A. Stephen Taylor, calls it the “politics of personal destruction.”
Charter school backers spent millions on statewide races in 2018. They still lost twice.
Sacramento Bee
When former charter school executive Marshall Tuck called Assemblyman Tony Thurmond to concede over the weekend, it marked another defeat for charter-school advocates in California.
Defense: DA’s office trying to ‘destroy’ former SJ schools Trustee Mark Thiel
Recordnet
Lead defense attorney N. Allen Sawyer accuses the San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office of trying to “destroy” his client.
Preschoolers take on math through university program
Edsource
Instilling confidence in math skills from an early age is the mission of a new math program aimed at California preschoolers.
Higher Ed:
UC Merced and Merced College cancel classes due to air quality
abc30
Merced College and UC Merced are canceling all classes and closing all facilities and operations through Thanksgiving break.
See Also:
● Stanislaus State, MJC, other schools announce plans for week ahead Modesto Bee
Eliminating all Student Debt Isn’t Progressive
Sacramento Bee
Democrats won’t be able to do much policymaking over the next two years, because of President Donald Trump and the Republican Senate. But they can use their House majority to do more than investigate Trump.
DEADLINE DEC. 7TH - Qualify For A Scholarship Of Up To $6,000
San Joaquin Valley Spring 2019 and Washington D.C./Sacramento Summer Internships
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.
Apprenticeships:
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ENVIRONMENT/ ENERGY
Environment:
Good news if you breathe in the Valley: Rain is on the way
Fresno Bee
People with breathing problems from wildfire smoke have been suffering for a week, but a storm system should provide a respite for irritated lungs beginning Wednesday.
See Also:
● First storm of the season to bring rain to the Valley and snow to the Sierra abc30
● Air quality remains unhealthy for entire Valley abc30
● Stockton Tree of Lights ceremony postponed over poor air quality Stockton Record
● Air pollution is shaving years from people’s lives. Where is it claiming the most? Sacramento Bee
● Fine particles from wildfire smoke can hurt your body in ways you never dreamed of Sacramento Bee
Environmentalists Say the Time to Act on Climate Is Now. Voters Aren’t So Sure.
PEW
Although numerous left-leaning measures found success at the ballot box last week, many voters said "no thank you" to policies that could curb climate change.
‘Insane’ California Air Topped World Health Standard by 60 Times
Bloomberg
California’s air exceeded world health standards by 60 times last week, and conditions on Monday continued to top safe thresholds with the deadliest blaze ever in the state is about 65 percent contained.
Energy:
Advice for Newsom: California’s electricity should be 100 percent renewable
Sacramento Bee
As part of the Sacramento Bee’s California Influencer series, a group of us met in Sacramento last week to offer some thoughts to California’s incoming leadership in the area of energy and the environment.
Electrifying the World Is No Panacea for Global Warming, IEA Says
Bloomberg
Driving electric cars and scrapping your natural gas-fired boiler won’t make a dent in global carbon emissions, and may even increase pollution levels.
HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES
Health:
Bisexual women are twice as likely to misuse opioids — and we may know why, study says
Fresno Bee
Prescription opioid misuse is more likely among lesbian, gay and bisexual people, and bisexual women are most at risk, NYU researchers’ new study finds. Authors say it could be due to stigma sexual minorities face.
Human Services:
‘This or suicide.’ Lacking options in the Valley, trans people travel hours for surgery
Fresno Bee
Fresno transgender patients often travel to San Francisco for medical care and procedures like hormone replacement therapy and surgery due to a lack of doctors and surgeons located in the Valley.
Fresno rehabilitation facility gives addicts the chance to 'clean up'
abc30
A chance to clean up is why drug and alcohol addicts come to Comprehensive Addiction Programs. The west Fresno facility provides housing and help transitioning into sober living, all starting with its detox unit.
Los Angeles Times
California must significantly increase the money it spends on child care, food assistance and other social services — by as much as $1.6 billion in the first year alone — to narrow an income divide that has left almost 2 million children living below the poverty line, a new state task force said Monday.
My turn: Voters showed heart by supporting housing for people with mental illness
CALmatters
It’s an amazing story, really. A testament to the priorities – and the hearts — of California voters.
On ‘Medicare-for-All,’ Democrats Tread Lightly
Roll Call
Progressives in the House are calling for a vote on a single-payer “Medicare-for-all” bill in the next Congress, but the expected chairmen who will set the agenda for next year say they have other health priorities.
Sticking it to Pharma—With Competition
Wall Street Journal
A record pace of generic drug approvals is reducing prices.
IMMIGRATION
Migrants fearful, anxious in aftermath of Tijuana protests
Sacramento Bee
Many Central American migrants camped in Tijuana after crossing Mexico in a caravan said Monday that a protest over the weekend by residents demanding they leave frightened them and left them even more anxious while they try to get into the United States.
See also:
● U.S. Slashes Migrant Border Crossings Wall Street Journal
● Public Divided on Whether Migrant Caravan Poses a Threat Monmouth
Judge bars U.S. from enforcing Trump asylum ban at Mexican border
Los Angeles Times
A federal judge barred the Trump administration on Monday from refusing asylum to immigrants who cross the southern border illegally.
See Also:
● Judge bars US from enforcing Trump asylum ban San Francisco Chronicle
Report: U.S. troops at border could be gone within a month
San Diego Union-Tribune
As Customs and Border Protection continued to fortify the San Ysidro Port of Entry Monday by temporarily closing lanes to install vehicle and pedestrian barriers, the general overseeing the military deployment along the U.S.-Mexico border said troops may soon be heading home.
More than 14,000 immigrant children are in U.S. custody, an all-time high
San Francisco Chronicle
The number of undocumented immigrant children in government custody has topped 14,000 for the first time, a rise that shows no signs of slowing as the Trump administration enforces policies that are keeping them in government facilities longer.
Federal Judge Blocks Trump’s Proclamation Targeting Some Asylum Seekers
New York Times
A federal judge on Monday ordered the Trump administration to resume accepting asylum claims from migrants no matter where or how they entered the United States, dealing at least a temporary setback to the president’s attempt to clamp down on a huge wave of Central Americans crossing the border.
LAND USE/HOUSING
Land Use:
Countering the geography of discontent: Strategies for left-behind places
Brookings
After the 2016 election revealed a stark divergence between America’s thriving cities and its struggling, smaller, and rural towns, Clara Hendrickson, Mark Muro, and William Galston put forth five broad strategies to combat these deepening divides and ensure economic growth in more regions of the country.
Housing:
California’s Big City Mayors Say More Political Will Needed To Solve Homeless Crisis
Capital Public Radio
Big city mayors from across California promised to push forward with solutions to the state’s homelessness crisis on Friday, but cautioned the problem won’t be fully solved without stronger political will and tackling root causes.
4th Annual Code Enforcement Symposium
San joaquin Valley Housing Collaborative
Explore updates and hot topics in community-led code enforcement.
PUBLIC FINANCES
Gavin Newsom wants to redesign California’s tax system. It’s so hard, Jerry Brown didn’t try
Sacramento Bee
California likes to tax the rich. A lot. The top 1 percent of earners provides about half of personal income tax revenue, by far the largest source of funding for the state government.
As CalPERS rates climb, how high can they go?
Public CEO
A new report shows a third of local governments in CalPERS will have police and firefighter employer rates next fiscal year that are at least 50 percent of pay, a level that a former CalPERS chief actuary believed a decade ago would be “unsustainable.”
TRANSPORTATION
Here’s how much you’ll be paying at the pump this Thanksgiving
Fresno Bee
Here is something to be thankful for this Thanksgiving: lower gas prices. In Fresno, gas prices tumbled 6.7 cents this past week, averaging $3.50, according to GasBuddy’s survey of 364 stations in the city.
See Also:
● Gas prices down this Thanksgiving? Maybe Visalia Times Delta
● Expect lots of company on the road during your Thanksgiving trek Bakersfield Californian
● Rain on the way later this week, may impact Thanksgiving travel Bakersfield Californian
● What prices will we face at the pump when we hit the road for Thanksgiving? Sacramento Bee
Yosemite’s Tioga and Glacier Point roads closing due to weather
Fresno Bee
Yosemite National Park will close Tioga and Glacier Point roads starting 6 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 20 due to expected incoming winter weather. The roads will reopen as weather and road conditions permit. Park entrance gates remain open.
See Also:
● Two key roads in Yosemite to shut down abc30
● Yosemite to close Tioga and Glacier Point roads Tuesday ahead of winter storms forecast through Thanksgiving weekend Los Angeles Times
Applegate overpass in Merced County reopens after major crash damaged bridge
Fresno Bee
Local businesses that experienced sharp drops in sales are elated the Applegate Road bridge over Highway 99 reopened to traffic Sunday, more than five weeks after a truck’s cargo slammed into it and caused structural damage.
See Also:
● Applegate overpass at Highway 99 opens after repairs abc30
State Auditor’s Highly Critical Report on High Speed Rail Released. Will it Also be Ignored?
Fox & Hounds
Last Thursday, the California State Auditor released its much anticipated audit of the High Speed rail project. Opponents of the project had pushed for an audit for several years, but had always in the past been rebuffed with no support to authorize any audit from the State’s Democratic controlled transportation committees, in both the Assembly and the Senate. Governor Brown wanted nothing to do with such an audit.
See also:
● High speed rail construction now in the heart of strongest criticism abc30
Work continues on project to expand Veterans Boulevard in Northwest Fresno
abc30
A project designed to ease traffic tie-ups in Northwest Fresno continues to move forward with crews set to start moving dirt.
RTD makes some buses free to improve air quality
Stockton Record
The San Joaquin Regional Transit District is offering free bus service to help lessen the effects of the ongoing Northern California wildfires on air quality locally.
Electric Scooters Have Been Burned, Buried and Butchered. They’re About to Be Regulated.
PEW
Thousands of new riders have embraced the electric pay-per-minute scooters that have proliferated on America’s streets.
Other people have set them on fire, tossed them off buildings and decorated them with dog droppings.
EDITORIAL: Only at Fresno City Hall: A day off for simply showing up regularly to work
Fresno Bee
Fresno, CA city workers get a day-off incentive to get them to show up for their shifts. The Fresno Bee thinks that is a questionable approach, but is willing to let the city try its pilot to see if cost savings really result.
WATER
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“Xtra”
Thanksgiving 2018: Where to eat out and how to bring a fully-cooked turkey meal home
Fresno Bee
Thanksgiving is coming up fast and if feeding all those people is a little overwhelming, we have some suggestions.
Shopping this Black Friday weekend? Here’s when the stores open and other info
Fresno Bee
The onslaught of holiday shopping is here. Thanksgiving Day openings, Black Friday crowds, that fear of missing out on good deals or just the spectacle of human behavior — it’s all happening this week.
See Also:
● The season of giving — and buying — has arrived in earnest across Modesto region Modesto Bee
● Making the most of a Black Friday budget Bakersfield Californian
Why did Fresno get name-dropped in the ‘Narcos: Mexico’ season opener?
Fresno Bee
The new season of “Narcos,” premiered on Netflix on Nov. 16, 2018. The crime drama is set mostly in Mexico and follows DEA agent Kiki Camarena. The real-life Camarena worked as an agent in Fresno, CA, in the 1970s.
On The Road: Winter touring in Northern California’s Yosemite National Park and Lake Tahoe
Stockton Record
We Northern/Central Californians are blessed by close proximity to an amazing world just outside our door. Take a late fall or winter tour to several wonderful cold-weather destinations, Yosemite National Park or the Lake Tahoe area!
Could you deliver 7 tons of turkeys in four hours? This Visalia club did
Visalia Times-Delta
Members of Visalia Breakfast Lions Club delivered more than 1100 turkeys on Monday.