Maddy Institute – November 22, 2019

22Nov

POLICY & POLITICS

North SJ Valley:

Newsom says California will sue Trump over Delta water, endangered fish

Sacramento Bee

Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration said Thursday it will sue the Trump administration over its efforts to push more water through the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, saying the federal plan would harm the sprawling estuary and the fragile fish populations that live there.

Tulare, Kings Counties Have High Rates Of Unsheltered Homeless. One Non-Profit Thinks It Can Help.

KVPR

In most cities, people who live on the streets can find some relief staying for a night or two at a shelter. But in 2018, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development found that Tulare and Kings counties have the highest rate of unsheltered, chronically homeless individuals for counties of their kind in the nation.

Tulare councilman accused of recklessly racing his Ferrari down Mooney

Visalia Times Delta

A Tulare councilman, accused of racing down a Visalia thoroughfare, will soon be in court to hear the charges against him. On Oct. 15, Tulare County District Attorney's Officefiled a four-count misdemeanor complaint against Councilman Greg Nunley.

South SJ Valley:

Bakersfield City Council approves bonuses for police recruits

Bakersfield Californian

New Bakersfield police officers will soon receive bonuses upon being hired. On Wednesday, the Bakersfield City Council approved $3,000 hiring incentives for all new recruits beginning Dec. 1. Recent hires by the Bakersfield Police Department, as well as trainees still in the academy, will be eligible for the bonuses, according to the department.

Despite pressure, action on Bakersfield homeless center to be delayed until January

Bakersfield Californian

Any efforts to speed up the city of Bakersfield’s efforts to open an emergency homeless shelter will be met with a legal barrier. Despite pleas from citizens and local groups at a meeting on Wednesday, the City Council defended its decision to push back approving a purchase agreement for an office space on East Brundage Lane that could have been used as an emergency shelter until late January.

Prompted By Kern County Oil Seeps, Regulators Tighten Oversight Of Oil And Gas Extraction

KVPR
California oil and gas regulators announced today a series of initiatives aimed at better protecting public health and the environment, including more scrutiny of permitting for some extraction techniques and a moratorium on another called cyclic steam extraction.

State:

PPIC Statewide Survey: Californians and Their Government

PPIC

Key findings from the current survey: Biden, Warren, and Sanders are the frontrunners in California’s Democratic presidential primary. Most Californians favor impeaching President Trump and removing him from office; views on how the impeachment inquiry is being handled are mixed.

CA justices reject law requiring Trump to disclose tax returns to appear on state's primary ballot

abc30

The California Supreme Court has rejected a state law that would have required President Donald Trump to disclose his tax returns to appear on the state's primary ballot. Justices said Thursday the law requiring candidates for president and governor to disclose financial information was unconstitutional.

● California Justices Reject Law Requiring Trump Tax Returns Capital Public Radio

● Why California’s top court just struck down the state’s Trump tax return law CALmatters

● California Court Strikes Down Law Requiring Candidate Tax Returns Wall Street Journal

● California Supreme Court strikes down Trump tax returns law Politico

● California court invalidates law requiring Trump tax returns Associated Press

● OPINION: President Trump wins big in California – thanks to Gov. Newsom’s silly tax returns law Fresno Bee

California lawmaker spent campaign cash on Asia vacation. Regulators say fines aren’t big enough

Modesto Bee

A former California lawmaker’s misuse of campaign cash for an Asia vacation and a Hawaii home remodeling project was “so egregious” that it warrants a “hellacious” penalty beyond what state law allows, a state campaign finance regulator said.

Sending unsolicited nude photos could become a crime in California

Modesto Bee

Long considered the bane of online dating, sending unsolicited nude photos could soon be against the law in California. State Sen. Ling Ling Chang, R-Diamond Bar, announced that she plans to partner with dating app Bumble to introduce a bill in January that would make such unwanted photos punishable with a fine.

California Supreme Court turns down abortion challenge by missionary group

San Francisco Chronicle

The state Supreme Court rejected a challenge by a Catholic missionary organization Wednesday to decisions by state health regulators and an appeals court that voluntary abortions are “medically necessary” procedures that must be provided by health care service plans in California.

His White House Engulfed, Trump Keeps California in the Cross Hairs

New York Times

President Trump has never been one to dive into the details of policy, especially now, as an impeachment inquiry threatens to engulf his administration. In recent days, he has allowed his son-in-law to lead a major policy shift in the Middle East and has backed away from a high-profile promise to ban flavored e-cigarettes.

Federal:

Impeachment witness confronts Devin Nunes’ Ukraine argument, calls it a ‘fictional narrative’

Fresno Bee

The former top Russia adviser at the White House at impeachment hearings Thursday criticized one of Rep. Devin Nunes’ defenses of President Donald Trump, calling the congressman’s repeated assertion that Ukraine interfered in the 2016 election a “fictional narrative.”

● Impeachment hearings: Trump directed Ukraine quid pro quo, key witness says abc30

● Impeachment Hearings Wrap As Fiona Hill Slams GOP's 'Fictional' Ukraine Account Capital Public Radio

● News Analysis: After Trump impeachment hearings, both sides scramble Los Angeles Times

● OPINION: Nunes buried evidence on Russian meddling to protect Trump. I know because I’m on the committee Fresno Bee

● Editorial: Gordon Sondland’s impeachment testimony was beyond damning. Will it matter? Los Angeles Times

Trump signs stopgap spending bill, averting government shutdown

Los Angeles Times

President Trump on Thursday signed a short-term funding bill, averting the threat of a government shutdown until next month. Trump signed the bill, which will extend funding through Dec. 20, hours before government funding was set to expire.

White House readies California homelessness plan after ousting top official

Washington Post

White House officials will soon present President Trump with a plan to crack down on homelessness in California, days after ousting a top federal official appointed during the Obama administration, according to two senior administration officials.

Elections 2020:

Andrew Yang has exceeded expectations. Now he wants to be taken seriously.

Fresno Bee

Andrew Yang was having lunch with eight recipients of his $1,000 monthly “Freedom Dividend” in a private poolside room inside the Bellagio hotel when one lucky winner offered up how he was pitching this unconventional presidential candidacy to friends.

Julián Castro vows to continue fight for support in California after missing debate

Sacramento Bee

Julián Castro is not giving up his fight for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination. During an appearance on The Bee’s “California Nation” podcast, the former Housing and Urban Development secretary acknowledged his campaign’s recent failure to get on the Democratic debate stage.

Michael Bloomberg Files Paperwork to Create Campaign Apparatus

Wall Street Journal

Billionaire Michael Bloomberg filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission Thursday that would allow him to enter the Democratic presidential race, which an aide said was part of the former New York City mayor’s preparations for a potential bid and didn’t reflect his final decision.

Joe Biden Plans Iowa Bus Tour as Rival's Popularity Grows

Wall Street Journal

Former Vice President Joe Biden is planning an 8-day bus tour of Iowa after Thanksgiving as he faces a clutch of competition in the leadoff presidential caucus state.

What does high voter turnout tell us about the 2020 elections?

Brookings

While our political system is preoccupied with impeachment and the Democratic primaries, our country is heading toward a massive turnout in the 2020 general election that could transform our politics—and overwhelm our system of election administration. Consider the most recent elections.

OPINION: Warren’s Medicare Blunder

Wall Street Journal

Sen. Elizabeth Warren admitted last Friday that she had made a colossal, potentially fatal, campaign error—and immediately proceeded to make it worse. If the Warren presidential bid flops, this will be the moment to mark.

Other:

Google Wants to Do Business With the Military—Many of Its Employees Don’t

Bloomberg

In early November several dozen experts from the American military industrial complex—including senior officers, defense contracting executives, and think tank advisers—gathered at a hotel a few blocks from the Capitol to discuss artificial intelligence software.

Facebook Weighs Steps to Curb Narrowly Targeted Political Ads

Wall Street Journal

The dominant U.S. tech platforms for digital political advertising are taking steps to limit the level of detail that political campaigns or other groups can use to target voters, reversing a yearslong trend of offering ever-more precise tools that in some cases facilitated the spread of misinformation.

AGRICULTURE/FOOD

How much did Blue Diamond almond cooperative make this year?

Modesto Bee

Blue Diamond Growers, the world’s largest almond producer, reported $1.57 billion in sales at its 109th annual meeting Wednesday in Modesto. The figure for the fiscal year ending Aug. 30, 2019, was little changed from the previous year. Leaders noted the success of products such as Almond Breeze milk and Nut-Thins crackers, along with challenges with tariffs.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE / FIRE / PUBLIC SAFETY

Crime:

Phone Scams on the Rise, What to Watch For

Clovis Roundup

The number of people falling victim to phone scams is on the rise and the Clovis Police Department is warning residents to be alert. “We’ve seen an uptake in the last few months,” said Detective Drew Mosher, a 20 year veteran with the police department. “I think we can have more success preventing phone scams, then solving them.”

After mass shooting, Fresno’s Hmong community is left mourning and afraid

Los Angeles Times

On the second night of candlelight vigils outside the Fresno home where four men were killed Sunday in a mass shooting, the daughter of one victim looked up at the sky and spoke directly to her father. “I love you, Dad,” 5-year-old Alina Xiong said into a microphone. “Can you hear me? I love you so much.”

Aging DWP equipment is a risk for sparking wildfires, L.A. city controller warns

Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles City Controller Ron Galperin released an audit this week that urges the Department of Water and Power to speed up repairs of utility equipment to reduce the risk of sparking wildfires. The report listed 50 transformers in fire hazard zones that the DWP had identified for replacement as of August.

'Fire is medicine': the tribes burning California forests to save them

The Guardian

This is the kind of land management O’Rourke grew up with on the Yurok reservation in the Klamath mountains of northern California. Now, lighting the forest on fire to save it – and his tribe’s culture along with it – has become his life’s work, as fire and fuels manager of the Yurok Cultural Fire Management Council.

ECONOMY / JOBS

Economy:

Many Americans over 65 face economic insecurity, even if they’re healthy

Los Angeles Times

The majority of Americans living alone are at risk of not being able to pay for basic needs. That’s according to new estimates of financial insecurity among Americans 65 and older from the Gerontology Institute at the University of Massachusetts Boston.

Malls are dying. The thriving ones are spending millions to reinvent themselves.

Washington Post

As of mid-November, retailers have announced plans to close more than 10,600 stores nationwide, according to real estate research firm Costar; that compares with 5,400 for all of 2018.

Jobs:

California agencies overpaying for workers comp insurance by millions of dollars, audit says

Sacramento Bee

Ten California state agencies paid $20 million more for workers’ compensation insurance than they could have had selected a different insurer, according to a California State Auditor’s report published Thursday.

Putting the worker in the future of work

Brookings

There is a heated debate going on in America right now about what the future of work will look like. Thousands of news stories have covered the potential impacts experts believe artificial intelligence, automation, and robots may have on jobs. Numerous conferences focus on the future of work and feature discussions with technology leaders, academics, and industry executives.

EDUCATION

K-12:

The Fresno Bee’s new donor-funded Education Lab launches next month; 3 of 4 hires made

Fresno Bee

I have big news to share about The Fresno Bee’s Education Lab: we’ve hired three of four new positions. In early December, the lab will be up and running, sharing stories, videos, newsletters and more on a daily basis.

Fresno Unified board votes to add $325 million bond measure to primary ballot

Fresno Bee

The Fresno Unified School District board voted unanimously Wednesday night to place a $325 million bond measure on the March 2020 ballot. The board chose the more conservative dollar amount after discussing two other amounts – $390 million and $500 million. The bond will require 55% voter approval to pass. Along with a bond comes the opportunity to receive matching state money for projects.

Madera charter school executive director on leave after alleged abuse of students

Fresno Bee

The executive director of a Madera charter school is on paid leave following abuse allegations now in the hands of the Madera County District Attorney’s Office. The Ezequiel Tafoya Alvarado Academy’s board voted during a special meeting Tuesday night to take the action against Nicolas Retana, the school’s executive director who has a documented troubled history as an administrator.

Rural Areas Hope to Get More From National Service Programs

PEW
The Hindman Settlement School was founded in 1902 to educate children living in the Central Appalachian Mountains of Eastern Kentucky. The school now focuses on helping children with dyslexia, and its leaders propose deploying 40 mentors from AmeriCorps, the national service program, to nearby elementary schools to give students the one-on-one attention they need.

California is poised to confront high proportions of underqualified teachers in low-income schools

EdSource

The most inexperienced and least qualified teachers continue to teach in schools with the highest-needs students in California — even though those students require the most expert teachers, and research has shown that the effectiveness of classroom teachers is the biggest in-school factor contributing to students’ achievement.

Higher Ed:

West Hills Community College District Chancellor Stuart Van Horn Named CVHEC Chair

Hanford Sentinel

Dr. Stuart Van Horn, Chancellor of the West Hills Community College District, has been named Chair of the Central Valley Higher Education Consortium Board. The Central Valley Higher Education Consortium is a non-profit organization made up on members from private colleges, universities and community colleges.

UOP finds president to bring ‘expansive vision’ to state’s oldest chartered university

Sacramento Bee

The University of the Pacific will welcome a new president next year. The university, which has its main campus in Stockton, announced Thursday that Christopher Callahan – the founding and current dean of the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University – will become UOP’s next president.

Cal State math proposal would create an unfair barrier for black and Latino students, critics say

Los Angeles Times

A controversial Cal State University proposal to require a fourth year of math-related coursework for admission came under robust questioning and at times harsh criticism Wednesday from top state educators and others who said it would unfairly block black and Latino students from the system with no guarantee that it would improve graduation rates.

New Eligibility Rules for the University of California? The Effects of New Science Requirements

PPIC

The University of California (UC) requires high school students to complete a series of college preparatory courses across a broad range of subjects, referred to as the A–G subjects, to be eligible for admission. In February 2018, UC’s Academic Senate approved a proposal to increase the high school science admissions eligibility requirement—known as area D—from two years to three.

ENVIRONMENT/ ENERGY

Environment:

Newsom says California will sue Trump over Delta water, endangered fish

Sacramento Bee

Tulare, Kings Counties Have High Rates Of Unsheltered Homeless. One Non-Profit Thinks It Can Help.

KVPR

Despite pressure, action on Bakersfield homeless center to be delayed until January

Bakersfield Californian

Building permits for new California homes surge after slow start in Newsom’s first year

Modesto Bee

California’s rate of approving new housing permits jumped in September after slumping for much of this year, the state Department of Finance announced Thursday. The number of permits increased 21.9 percent from August to September, according to the Department of Finance.

San Joaquin Housing Collaborative

The Code Enforcement Symposium will bring together advocates, local government agencies, and code enforcement professionals from across the San Joaquin Valley and the state to explore current code enforcement strategies and the resources available to support and grow this work.

Interactive: Californians’ Views on Homelessness

PPIC

Homelessness is a growing concern in California, where nearly a quarter of the nation’s homeless population lives. The crisis comes amid sky-high housing costs and widening income inequality. PPIC’s latest survey explores residents’ perceptions of homelessness in their part of the state.

TRANSPORTATION

Mojave Air and Space Port awarded much-needed federal grant

Bakersfield Californian

The U.S. Department of Transportation has approved an $8 million grant for Mojave Air and Space Port through the Federal Aviation Administration's Airport Improvement Program. Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Bakersfield, who provided early support for the grant and announced its approval in a press release Thursday, has long been a supporter of the eastern Kern County spaceport, where companies like Virgin Galactic, The Spaceship Co. and Stratolaunch Systems operate research, testing and engineering facilities.

WATER

Valley in rain deficit for winter season, but normal for 2019 calendar year: NWS Hanford

abc30

The town of Earlimart had some ominous clouds and was treated to some sprinkles of rain. But as soon as it started, it stopped, which was basically the story for the entire South Valley on Wednesday.

● National Weather Service Weather Forecast And Ski Area Update Capital Public Radio

California Gov. Newsom makes move to halt Trump water grab

San Francisco Chronicle

California’s water wars escalated Thursday, as state leaders vowed to fight the Trump administration over plans to ship more water to Central Valley farms. Gov. Gavin Newsom and members of his administration announced that they were preparing a lawsuit against the federal government to prevent California’s rivers and wildlife from being cheated out of vital supplies.

California rejects federal water proposal, lays out its vision for protecting endangered species and meeting state water needs

CALmatters

California’s water policy can be complex, and—let’s be honest—often polarizing. Water decisions frequently get distilled into unhelpful narratives of fish versus farms, north versus south, or urban versus rural. Climate change-driven droughts and flooding threats, as well as our divided political climate, compound these challenges.

Can A New Approach To Managing California Reservoirs Save Water And Still Protect Against Floods?

Water Education Foundation

Many of California’s watersheds are notoriously flashy – swerving from below-average flows to jarring flood conditions in quick order. The state needs all the water it can get from storms, but current flood management guidelines are strict and unyielding, requiring reservoirs to dump water each winter to make space for flood flows that may not come.

California to sue over federal rules governing water

Associated Press

California officials said Thursday they will sue the federal government over proposed rules managing the state’s scarce water, arguing its conclusions are not scientifically adequate and fall short of protecting species and the state’s interests.

“Xtra”

Brothers Ramen offers Japanese cuisine on North Blackstone

Fresno Bee

Three partners, including a chef from Tokyo, run Brothers Ramen, offering authentic Japanese cuisine, on North Blackstone.

Black Friday 2019: Walmart, Target, Best Buy and more! Shopping guide to online, in-store deals

abc30

Bookmark this! Some Black Friday deals are coming, and some deals are already here. With Thanksgiving on the 28th, 2019 is the shortest holiday season in six years, and retailers are trying hard to attract shoppers from Black Friday until Cyber Monday.