POLICY & POLITICS
North SJ Valley:
City of Merced breaks building permit application record, amid statewide surge
Fresno Bee
The City of Merced on Friday reported a new record for the number of building permit applications it has reached. The news comes as California’s rate of approving new housing permits jumped in September, after slumping for much of this year, according to the state Department of Finance.
Modesto bonds would first upgrade eight older schools. The cost may surprise you
Modesto Bee
Board members of Modesto City Schools are finding out that $131 million in bond funds won’t stretch that far in making repairs and upgrades to 26 elementary and middle school campuses.
New Modesto, Wood Colony and Salida growth issues in California
Modesto Bee
An intriguing potential compromise — between those who think Modesto must grow to stay healthy, and those who want unincorporated Wood Colony and Salida left out of that vision — is beginning to come into focus.
Former Modesto mayor is running for state Senate. ‘I want the people to have a voice.’
Modesto Bee
Former Modesto Mayor Jim Ridenour will run for state Senate in the 5th District, adding his name to a growing candidates’ list for the seat held for seven years by Sen. Cathleen Galgiani, D-Stockton, who is terming out.
When letters to the editor of The Modesto Bee turn into manipulation
Modesto Bee
Sometimes a campaign of writing letters to the editor can go too far. This is one of those times.
Turlock Library expansion proceeds forward
Turlock Journal
A new library for the Turlock community got the final stamp of approval Tuesday night after the Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors voted to accept a final budget for the project and hire an architectural firm.
Central SJ Valley:
Council vote gives tenants more time
Madera Tribune
The Madera City Council unanimously passed a temporary, emergency ordinance Wednesday night which would prohibit owners of multi-unit apartment complexes evicting tenants without due cause, until the new California State Assembly Bill 1482, the Tenant Protection Act, becomes law on Jan. 1.
Nunley and Jones could cost Tulare millions. Are they right, though?
Visalia Times Delta
Tulare Councilman Greg Nunley is suing the city he was elected to represent — again.
South SJ Valley:
McCarthy expresses 'deep frustration' after learning stalled VA clinic could take four more years
Bakersfield Californian
Congressman Kevin McCarthy is not hiding his angst and frustration with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Nearly two months after The Californian broke the story that the VA canceled a contract it had awarded a year before to construct and operate a new veterans clinic at a site in northwest Bakersfield, McCarthy again responded to Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert Wilkie.
Sen. Grove: The AB5 carve-out train hurts Californians
Pasadena Star News
California is one of the least business-friendly and most unaffordable states in the nation.
Bakersfield Police Chief Lyle Martin Named Kern's Chief District Attorney Investigator
KVPR
Kern County District Attorney Cynthia Zimmer has appointed Lyle Martin to be her Chief Investigator. Martin has been the Chief of Bakersfield Police since 2016, and has worked for the department for more than 30 years.
Corcoran gets check $1 million check to build veterans memorial park
Hanford Sentinel
Before he passed away four months ago, Art Nolen, a Vietnam veteran from Corcoran, had a longtime dream of bringing a veterans memorial park to the city. That dream is finally going to become a reality thanks in part to Kings County Supervisor Richard Valle.
Oil restrictions could hit small producers hardest, affect Kern property tax revenue
Bakersfield Californian
The state's new moves aimed at the oil industry to halt steam injection and hydraulic fracturing are going to hit Kern County's small producers the hardest, and they could have a major impact on the county's property tax revenue. Those were two of the big items discussed at an informal luncheon in Taft on Thursday, two days after Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the stringent new controls imposed on the oil industry.
Economists rip California's plan to cut in-state oil production
Bakersfield Californian
California's plan to curtail in-state oil production as a way of reducing greenhouse-gas emissions relies on questionable economics and might not be the wisest path to achieving climate-change benefits, according to several economists familiar with the proposal.
Galey has enough stories to float any boat
Bakersfield Californian
In 1970, most of the dozen barstools around The Office's horseshoe-shaped, mahogany bar were reserved for the seven or eight men who ran Bakersfield. And then there was one for Don Galey.
State:
Fresno Bee
California Influencers this week answered the following question: What should the most important priority in the area of health care policy be for Governor Newsom and the State Legislature in 2020? Below are the Influencers’ answers in their entirety.
A top priority for California in 2020? Finalize and implement the master plan for aging
Modesto Bee
Each week through November 2019, a selection of our 101 California Influencers answers a question that is critical to California’s future.
Why California’s top court just struck down the state’s Trump tax return law
CALmatters
A unanimous court rules the state can't require presidential candidates to publicly share tax returns in order to appear on the state ballot. Many constitutional law experts, former Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown and the California Republican Party are now all officially entitled to say, “I told you so.”
See also:
Skelton: California Democrats handed the GOP a win with law to force Trump to release his tax returns Los Angeles Times
Morain: Newsom, Democrats lose effort to force Trump to release taxes—and it wasn't close CalMatters
California is about to allow former felons to serve on juries. Here’s why.
CALmatters
People with former felony convictions can vote in California, but they can't serve on juries. A new law going into effect next year will change that.
New 2020 law #2: More time for adult victims of child sexual abuse to sue
CALmatters
The new California law will extend the statue of limitations for victims of childhood sexual assault to file civil suits.
California’s Spending Boom Masks a Spate of Problems
Wall Street Journal
Politicians are rolling in tax revenue, but they can’t seem to solve basic issues like housing and energy.
Federal:
Devin Nunes’ impeachment defense marks a breakthrough — for his opponents
Fresno Bee
Rep. Devin Nunes’ week at the forefront of President Donald Trump’s impeachment hearings highlighted the catch-22 facing the congressman as he prepares for a 2020 re-election campaign: The more visible he is, the more power his opponents have to run against him.
See also:
‘What were you thinking when you sent Devin Nunes to Congress?’ Out-of-towners want to know Fresno Bee
California’s Nunes, impeachment inquisitor, dodges question over alleged meeting with Ukrainian ex-prosecutor Los Angeles Times
Devin Nunes denounces reports he played a role in Ukraine The New York Times
Top Dem says ethics investigation into Devin Nunes likely Politico
Giuliani ally would testify that Nunes staffers hid Ukraine meetings from Schiff CNBC
Nunes denies allegation he met with top Ukrainian prosecutor about Bidens Washington Post
Nunes Defiant as Giuliani Associate Connects Him With Biden Dirt Bloomberg
EDITORIAL: No, Republicans, ‘deep state’ diplomats didn’t sabotage Trump’s Ukraine policy Los Angeles Times
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.
White House directed Lindsey Graham to block Armenian genocide resolution
Axios
Many were perplexed and outraged when, right after clashing with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in a heated Oval Office meeting on Nov. 13, Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham hurried back to the Senate floor and did something that likely delighted Erdoğan. Graham blocked a resolution that would have formally recognized Turkey's genocide of the Armenian people.
See also:
Wealthy taxpayers benefited more from Trump tax cuts. Calculate it for yourself
Sacramento Bee
President Donald Trump has said it’s time to consider another tax cut — as evidence mounts that wealthier taxpayers in Sacramento and around the nation benefited a lot more than others from his first one.
Mostly True: Nancy Pelosi’s Claim President Trump ‘hasn’t Built Any New Wall’
PolitiFact
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi recently claimed President Donald Trump isn’t serious about building his promised Southern border wall and that his comments on the topic "are really an applause line at a rally."
Elections 2020:
Former NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg launches Democratic presidential bid
abc30
Michael Bloomberg is running for president. The former New York City mayor, one of the richest men in the world, formally joined the Democratic presidential field on Sunday. The 77-year-old former Republican announced his plans on a campaign website.
See also:
Michael Bloomberg joins Democrats’ 2020 race for president Los Angeles Times
Bloomberg Says He Will Launch Democratic Presidential Bid Wall Street Journal
Michael Bloomberg’s Record in New York City Wall Street Journal
Michael Bloomberg Joins 2020 Democratic Field for President New York Times
Tell Us The Election 2020 Issues That Matter
Capital Public Radio
This election, CapRadio wants you to help decide what issues matter. Our journalists usually ask candidates what ideas and topics matter during an election. Instead, we're asking you to tell us what's important. Here's what we want to know: “As a Californian, what do you want to hear the candidates talk about as they compete for your vote?”
For 2020 candidates, eating tacos is the kissing babies of stumping for Latino votes
Los Angeles Times
There he was, another candidate with White House dreams, shaking hands and exchanging hugs in a gaudy Mexican restaurant, careful not to stain his suit with salsa. As Latino outreach goes, Julián Castro’s recent meet-and-greet at La Parrilla in Boyle Heights seemed ripped from the headlines. Because it was.
Google’s new political ad policy will cost consultants, and improve our democracy
CALmatters
Google’s announcement that it will dramatically limit the ability of political campaigns to narrowly target political advertisements has sparked a storm of protest, led by political media consultants who profit by deploying these targeting tactics.
A field guide to polling: Election 2020 edition
PEW Research Center
Rigorously conducted surveys are trustworthy, as long as you apply a dose of discrimination and are realistic about what polls can and can’t do. But how to sort the “good” polls from the “bad” is considerably trickier in this age of change and innovation in the polling industry. Our social scientists and methodologists answer key questions and assess the state of the craft.
Pete Buttigieg, millennials’ bane
Washington Post
Why doesn't the younger generation like the candidate who's supposed to represent them?
See also:
It’s a new ballgame, with Buttigieg right out front Washington Post
EDITORIAL: Mayor Pete’s South Bend Record Wall Street Journal
Democrats Court Black Voters in Hopes of Picking Off Biden’s Support
Wall Street Journal
African-American voters account for about a quarter of Democratic electorate.
Bernie Sanders’s Loyal Voters Could Keep Him in Race for Months
Wall Street Journal
Polls show Vermont senator’s base is more dedicated than that of any other 2020 Democrat.
Wall Street Journal
She makes her plan slightly less radical. That’s likely to leave everyone unhappy.
See also:
Opinion: Are Americans ready for a female president? Yes. In fact, they might prefer one Los Angeles Times
Fact Check: Elizabeth Warren's file PolitiFact
EDITORIAL: Elizabeth Warren Is Right Wall Street Journal
How a Facebook Employee Helped Trump Win—But Switched Sides for 2020
Wall Street Journal
James Barnes is now focused on using digital-ad strategies to try to get Trump out of office.
AEI
Next year the governors of Vermont, Massachusetts, and Maryland will be Republicans while the governors of North Carolina, Kentucky, and Louisiana will be Democrats. This is not the twilight zone. This is the dimension of American politics that reveals the overriding importance of a candidate’s personal qualities and issue positions. It cannot be ignored.
Other:
Fresno Bee’s Education Lab hires two reporters, editor
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.
Opinion: Supreme Court Term Limits Have Bipartisan Support
National Review
They have broad bipartisan support, and they might reduce the hysteria of nomination battles.
MADDY INSTITUTE PUBLIC POLICY PROGRAMMING
Sunday, December 1, at 10 a.m. on ABC30 – Maddy Report: California’s Top 10 - Guests: John Howard, Editor at Capitol Weekly. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.
Sunday, December 1, at 10 a.m. on Newstalk 580AM/105.9FM (KMJ) – Maddy Report - Valley Views Edition: Who are the key influencers in State and Valley Politics? - Guests: Nate Monroe with UC Merced, Robert Price with the Bakersfield Californian, Paul Hurley formerly with the Visalia Times-Delta and now with College of the Sequoias, Joe Kieta with the Fresno and Modesto Bee. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.
Sunday, December 1, at 7:30 a.m. on UniMas 61 (KTTF) – El Informe Maddy: Agua en el Valle de San Joaquin: Un reporte de PPIC– Invitado: Alvar Escriva-Bou, investigador del PPIC. Presentado Por: Coordinadora del Programa del Maddy Institute, Maria Jeans.
AGRICULTURE/FOOD
Milk processor buys Visalia plant
Business Journal
Milk Specialties Global, a maker of milk-based nutritional ingredients, has purchased the Visalia milk-processing plant it has leased since 2012.
Regulators want to light up nighttime ag work in California
Bakersfield Californian
State regulators are weighing new rules for making nighttime agricultural work — a risky activity with relatively few labor protections as compared with other industries — safer for those who perform it.
In The Studio: Farming In The Age Of Climate Change
KVPR
The unseasonably warm and dry fall we are experiencing in the San Joaquin Valley is a reminder of the changing climate, here and around the world. In the studio, moderator Kathleen Schock explores how climate change is affecting the region’s top industry: agriculture.
Here’s how much California agriculture is in a typical Thanksgiving dinner
The Orange County Register
California is the nation’s cornucopia, confirmed by the shopping list for the American Farm Bureau Federation’s Thanksgiving meal survey, which includes turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, rolls with butter, peas, cranberries, a veggie tray, pumpkin pie with whipped cream, and coffee and milk
California boosts pot taxes, shocking unsteady industry
AP
California is increasing business tax rates on legal marijuana, a move that stunned struggling companies that have been pleading with the state to do just the opposite.
See also:
Northern California marijuana companies lay off workers, adjust expectations Press Democrat
Two-thirds of Americans support marijuana legalization Pew Research Center
The New York Times
Illegal marijuana dispensaries outnumber legal ones more than three to one in California. What’s the role of the cannabis church?
CRIMINAL JUSTICE / FIRE / PUBLIC SAFETY
Crime:
Gavin Newsom wants to close a California state prison. It won’t be easy
Fresno Bee
Gov. Gavin Newsom is talking about an idea that has hung around California for more than 150 years: closing a state prison. Newsom brought up the idea at a meeting earlier this month with The Fresno Bee editorial board as part of a broader conversation on criminal justice reform.
Dozens of California deputies lied about booking evidence they collected, 2nd audit shows
Sacramento Bee
Orange County’s district attorney, blindsided this week by results of an internal audit that showed widespread mishandling of evidence.
One of Two Musical Instruments Recovered from Theft at Dry Creek Park
Clovis Roundup
Earlier this November, it was reported that popular music instruments from Dry Creek Park were stolen. A xylophone and a marimba.
Public Safety:
Dating app meetup in Porterville leads to robbery
Visalia Times Delta
A Nov. 21 late-night rendezvous with a stranger arranged over a dating app led to the armed robbery of a Porterville man and the eventual arrest of three people on suspicion of robbery.
As if on cue, a non-racer's death in Sunday street racing incident roils community
Bakersifield Californian
Community outrage had been building over widespread incidents of alleged street racing throughout the city. Then, as if on cue, a crash near one of the reported epicenters of the illegal practice killed a Bakersfield woman and injured two children riding with her in her minivan.
Cybercrime Booms As Scammers Hack Human Nature To Steal Billions
NPR
The secret to comedy, according to the old joke, is timing. The same is true of cybercrime.
Crib bumpers tied to dozens of infant deaths. Regulators haven't acted.
Washington Post
A paralyzing conflict inside the nation’s product safety regulator has prevented the agency from taking action against a popular baby product that studies have linked to at least 48 infant deaths over 27 years and that public health officials say should be banned, according to a Washington Post investigation.
Fire:
EXPLAINER-California faces decade of 'unique' wildfire blackouts
Thomson Reuters Foundation
California utility PG&E Corp has imposed 10 intentional blackouts this year to reduce risks its power infrastructure could spark wildfires and said they will continue for a decade.
ECONOMY / JOBS
Economy:
Business Forecast: Regional economy continues to slow
Turlock Journal
After the economy at both the regional and national levels reached their peak in recent years, all indicators point to a further slowing of economic activity in the coming months — something the business community should prepare for now.
CA Fwd and Summit partners urge California to adopt broadband action policy
California Forward
Closing the “Digital Divide” and ensuring affordable, high-speed broadband access to all Californians has been a critical component of the California Economic Summit’s ongoing efforts in creating a more equitable, safe, and prosperous state. In the Regions Rise Together meetings that California Forward hosted with the Newsom Administration this year, it was the most frequently cited issue across all geographies as being the key to unlocking growth in the state’s regions.
The Price Ain’t Right: An Economic Inequality Quiz
Capitol & Main
Try your luck at these questions about how our economy distributes wealth and income.
The economic impact of closing the racial wealth gap
McKinsey
The United States has spent the past century expanding its economic power, and it shows in American families’ wealth. Despite income stagnation outside the circle of high earners, median family wealth grew from $83,000 in 1992 to $97,000 in 2016 (in 2016 dollars).
Jobs:
‘Their house is on fire’: The pension crisis sweeping the world
Los Angeles Times
A common factor in this global pension upheaval has been suppressed bond yields.
Google Hires Firm Known for Anti-Union Efforts
The New York Times
After nearly two years of unrest, the company appears to be cracking down on employee activism.
McDonald's Agrees To Pay $26 Million To Settle Accusations Of Wage Theft
NPR
McDonald's has agreed to pay $26 million to settle a years-long legal battle with California cooks and cashiers who have accused the company of failing to properly pay them for their work and expenses.
Labor Center Berkeley
Job-based coverage remains the most common form of health coverage in the U.S. In 2018, more than half (58 percent) of California’s 24.2 million adults ages 19 to 64 received health insurance through their own employer or a family member’s employer, based on analysis of data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s Current Population Survey (CPS), described in our last blog post.
EDUCATION
K-12:
Madera County school places in STEM contest
Madera Tribune
Chawanakee Academy Charter School in O’Neals is among 13 California schools that are among the nation’s 300 State Finalists in the 10th annual Samsung Solve for Tomorrow Contest, a program that encourages 6th through 12th grade students to solve real-world issues in their communities using classroom skills in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).
Modesto bonds would first upgrade eight older schools. The cost may surprise you
Modesto Bee
Board members of Modesto City Schools are finding out that $131 million in bond funds won’t stretch that far in making repairs and upgrades to 26 elementary and middle school campuses.
School Bond Backers Have Some Selling To Do, Poll Shows
Capital Public Radio
California voters have resoundingly approved tens of billions of dollars in state school construction bonds over the last two decades. But a new survey suggests that voters have yet to similarly warm up to the latest and heftiest proposal to come before them: a $15 billion state bond for public schools, community colleges and universities that will be decided on the March 3 presidential primary ballot.
Higher Ed:
Fresno State ranked No. 3 nationally for advancing economic opportunity for low-income students
Fresno State News
Fresno State is among the best nationwide at educating and preparing low-income and first-generation students to earn their degrees and find financial success, according to the 2019 Social Mobility Index.
Resnick Student Union construction work begins Nov. 25
Fresno State Campus News
We are pleased to announce that McCarthy Building Companies, contractor for the Lynda and Stewart Resnick Student Union, will begin mobilizing on the project site on Monday, Nov. 25. In addition, during the winter break, they will install underground utility connections that pass through Lot 31 to ensure proper drainage of the project site.
As faculty deliberate, UC Berkeley chancellor calls for ending the use of SAT and ACT
EdSource
While a special faculty task force considers whether the University of California should end requiring applicants for freshman admission to take the SAT or the ACT, UC Berkeley chancellor Carol Christ has come out strongly in favor of ending the practice.
See also:
ENVIRONMENT/ ENERGY
Environment:
Above-ground power lines grow in risk as climate changes
Porterville Recorder
Trees toppling onto above-ground power lines spark wildfires, more than 1,000 of them in the last decade in California alone. The wires snap in blizzards and hurricanes, causing dayslong outages. Everywhere, power poles topple in all kinds of disasters, blocking escape routes.
State Parks spends $437,000 to study ocean air pollution
Fresno Bee
Faced with an order to reduce dust from the Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area, the State Department of Parks and Recreation is spending $437,506 to study whether ocean algae is to blame for air pollution downwind of the park.
California Democrats seek EPA watchdog help amid Trump threats
Roll Call
A group of California Democrats on Monday pressed the EPA’s internal watchdog to investigate whether the agency has retaliated against their state for political reasons, including by threatening to withhold federal funds for multiple transportation projects.
EDITORIAL: Our suicidal course towards catastrophic climate change
Los Angeles Times
The United Nations’ Environment Program released a rather dire report Wednesday concluding that by 2030, global production of fossil fuels — extracted coal, oil and natural gas — would be more than double what we can safely consume if we hope to limit the most severe impacts from human-caused global warming.
EDITORIAL: The EPA’s new recycling plan is straight out of 1985
Los Angeles Times
The breakdown in global recycling markets and the growing public alarm over plastic waste in the ocean has prompted appropriately consequential action across the globe. Canada, Peru and Kenya are planning to ban all disposable plastic packaging in the next two years.
EDITORIAL: CA must boycott automakers with Trump to support Valley air
Fresno Bee
The San Joaquin Valley is among the worst places in the nation for air quality. It has been that way for many years, and that was reconfirmed last April when the American Lung Association issued its annualState of the Air report.
Energy:
Oil restrictions could hit small producers hardest, affect Kern property tax revenue
Bakersfield Californian
The state's new moves aimed at the oil industry to halt steam injection and hydraulic fracturing are going to hit Kern County's small producers the hardest, and they could have a major impact on the county's property tax revenue. Those were two of the big items discussed at an informal luncheon in Taft on Thursday, two days after Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the stringent new controls imposed on the oil industry.
Economists rip California's plan to cut in-state oil production
Bakersfield Californian
California's plan to curtail in-state oil production as a way of reducing greenhouse-gas emissions relies on questionable economics and might not be the wisest path to achieving climate-change benefits, according to several economists familiar with the proposal.
Gas ‘Witch’s Brew’ Has U.S. Exporters Facing Worst-Case Scenario
Bloomberg
A global glut of natural gas has gotten so massive that U.S. exporters could soon face their worst-case scenario: Halting shipments to get supply and demand back in balance.
California Democrats can speed up improvements to PG&E’s antiquated system. Here’s how
CALmatters
PG&E’s mismanagement is the primary culprit in multiple wildfires that have claimed lives and destroyed homes and businesses in Northern California.
HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES
Health:
Smoky skies, stagnant air means Valley air danger to breathing
Fresno Bee
Smoke from a Northern California wildfire and Fourth of July fireworks adds to existing air quality and breathing challenges in the central San Joaquin Valley.
Don't eat romaine lettuce grown in Salinas, California: FDA warning
abc30
U.S. health officials on Friday told people to avoid romaine lettuce grown in Salinas, California, because of another food poisoning outbreak. The notice comes almost exactly one year after a similar outbreak led to a blanket warning about romaine.
See also:
What you need to know about the latest E. coli outbreak linked to lettuce Sacramento Bee
Don’t eat any romaine lettuce from California’s Salinas Valley because of potential contamination, CDC warns Washington Post
C.D.C. Issues E. Coli Warning on Romaine Lettuce Ahead of Thanksgiving New York Times
More adolescents seek medical care for mental health issues
Sacramento Bee
Less than a decade ago, the emergency department at Rady Children’s Hospital in San Diego would see maybe one or two young psychiatric patients per day, said Dr. Benjamin Maxwell, the hospital’s interim director of child and adolescent psychiatry.
The youth vaping epidemic: Addressing the rise of e-cigarettes in schools
Brookings
Teen vaping is on the rise in schools across America—27.5% of youth report regularly using e-cigarettes. Nandeeni Patel and Diana Quintero analyze some state and federal policies to address this epidemic.
Washington Post
A paralyzing conflict inside the nation’s product safety regulator has prevented the agency from taking action against a popular baby product that studies have linked to at least 48 infant deaths over 27 years and that public health officials say should be banned, according to a Washington Post investigation.
Human Services:
Is poverty a matter of life or death? Here’s where Fresno life expectancy is shorter
Fresno Bee
Neighborhoods with higher poverty rates face many challenges, including lower educational attainment, greater reliance on public assistance, and higher rates of people who are uninsured.
Fresno Bee
California Influencers this week answered the following question: What should the most important priority in the area of health care policy be for Governor Newsom and the State Legislature in 2020? Below are the Influencers’ answers in their entirety.
New California law may expand use of HIV prevention drugs, with caveats
Sacramento Bee
A new California law, the first of its kind in the nation, is designed to avoid precisely the kind of stress Kellen Willhite endured after learning of his HIV exposure – and to eliminate obstacles for people looking for longer-term protection against the virus.
How Juul Hooked a Generation on Nicotine
New York Times
The company planted the seeds of a public health crisis by marketing to millennials, who had low smoking rates, and it ignored evidence that teenagers were using its products.
‘It’s helped me be a better mother.’ Pathways helps young adults get out on their own
Modesto Bee
Pathways, a program of the Center for Human Services, provides supportive services and apartments to young people between the ages of 18 and 24 who are homeless, or are at risk of becoming homeless.
Rising number of U.S. counties are majority Hispanic or black
Pew Research Center
Non-Hispanic white Americans account for 60% of the U.S. population, but in a growing number of counties, a majority of residents are Hispanic or black, reflecting the nation’s changing demographics and shifting migration patterns.
IMMIGRATION
A Family Was Stopped By ICE On The Way To School. ‘I Always Thought Fresno Was A Safe Place.’
KVPR
Fifteen-year-old Sandra Hernandez can’t get this one Tuesday morning out of her head. “All I was thinking at that time was ‘I wanted my dad back,’” she said. “I wanted him to get in the car and for us to go to school like any other day.”
Time is running out for the braceros
CALmatters
About 36,000 immigrant farm workers have not received the money they were promised. They are old and sick, with many living in poverty.
Five Days After California Put an End to Private Prisons, ICE Found a Way Around It
Capital & Main
Despite the passage of a bill ending private, for-profit prisons and immigrant detention centers, ICE is seeking to expand its footprint in California from more than 4,000 detention beds to 6,750.
LAND USE/HOUSING
Land Use:
City of Merced breaks building permit application record, amid statewide surge
Fresno Bee
The City of Merced on Friday reported a new record for the number of building permit applications it has reached. The news comes as California’s rate of approving new housing permits jumped in September, after slumping for much of this year, according to the state Department of Finance.
New Modesto, Wood Colony and Salida growth issues in California
Modesto Bee
An intriguing potential compromise — between those who think Modesto must grow to stay healthy, and those who want unincorporated Wood Colony and Salida left out of that vision — is beginning to come into focus.
Turlock Library expansion proceeds forward
Turlock Journal
A new library for the Turlock community got the final stamp of approval Tuesday night after the Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors voted to accept a final budget for the project and hire an architectural firm.
Corcoran gets check $1 million check to build veterans memorial park
Hanford Sentinel
Before he passed away four months ago, Art Nolen, a Vietnam veteran from Corcoran, had a longtime dream of bringing a veterans memorial park to the city. That dream is finally going to become a reality thanks in part to Kings County Supervisor Richard Valle.
For the first time on record, fewer than 10% of Americans moved in a year
Brookings
Though young adults are historically the most mobile age group of Americans, millennials aren’t moving to new locations. In analysis of new census data, William Frey examines the stagnation of U.S. migration over the years and highlights issues that are keeping many young people stuck in place.
New Arizona Development Bans Residents From Bringing Cars
Wall Street Journal
Developers of Tempe rental community aim to draw younger people with pedestrian-friendly design.
Housing:
Worried about homeless, Californians say they’d support a law mandating more shelters
Sacramento Bee
Most Californians are concerned about homelessness in their community, and a majority supports the concept of a law that would require cities to build more shelters, according to a new statewide survey.
See also:
Has Bakersfield lost compassion for the homeless? Bakersfield Californian
White House readies California homelessness plan after ousting top official Washington Post
Majority of L.A. County voters say taxpayer money on homelessness isn’t spent effectively, Times poll finds Los Angeles Times
Waiting for the cap on rents, California cities push back against ‘greedy’ landlords
Los Angeles Times
Starting in January, a new state law will prohibit millions of California tenants from facing double-digit rent increases and being evicted unless they violate their leases. But it’s not January yet. In the interim, tenants across the state have been complaining that landlords are hiking their rents and issuing no-fault evictions before the law takes effect. And, in response, cities and counties have been passing emergency moratoria to stop it.
Is California’s most controversial new housing production law working?
East Bay Times
The All Souls project is one of more than 40 around the state that have used SB 35 since the law went into effect in January 2018. The law’s ambitious goal was to ease the state’s chronic housing shortage, but it has sparked an outcry from some local officials upset by the state’s usurping of their control.
Opinion: Prop 13 Protects California’s Veterans
Fox & Hounds
Last week, America observed Veteran’s Day, a national holiday dedicated to celebrating the contributions and sacrifices of the men and women who honorably served in our Armed Forces. A seminal moment in my life was my service in the U.S. Army. I wouldn’t be the person I am today without my service.
EDITORIAL: Tiny houses? Safe parking? Let’s give homeless people alternatives to the sidewalk
Los Angeles Times
Building housing for homeless people in the city of Los Angeles is an infuriatingly slow process. Even the so-called bridge shelters that are supposed to be an interim solution while we wait for new permanent housing have been taking a year or two to go up.
PUBLIC FINANCES
Wealthy taxpayers benefited more from Trump tax cuts. Calculate it for yourself
Sacramento Bee
President Donald Trump has said it’s time to consider another tax cut — as evidence mounts that wealthier taxpayers in Sacramento and around the nation benefited a lot more than others from his first one.
A surprise pension creates investment concerns
Los Angeles Times
If you don’t have other savings, you may want to have this pool of money standing by to use for emergencies and other spending. On the other hand, an annuity is money that you don’t have to manage and that you can’t outlive or lose to fraud, bad investments or bad decisions. If you have enough emergency savings, adding more guaranteed income could help you live a bit more comfortably.
Fox: The State Spending Limit is Dead
Fox & Hounds
Once upon a time in California, voters decided that when state and local governments reaped big revenue windfalls strongly exceeding governments’ budgets, some of that excess should go back to hard working taxpayers.
TRANSPORTATION
City debuts real-time bus arrival app
Turlock Journal
Turlock Transit riders can now know exactly where the bus they’re waiting for is at any given time, thanks to a new app.
Rain and snow forecast to complicate Thanksgiving travel this week
Los Angeles Times
Heavy rain and snow are forecast to hit Southern California right around the time Thanksgiving travelers will take to the freeways. A “broad swath of precipitation” is expected to blanket Los Angeles County and surrounding areas starting early Wednesday, said Kathy Hoxsie, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard. The heaviest rain and snow is predicted to fall between Wednesday morning and afternoon.
Electric scooters face bans and restrictions around the world
CNN
Brussels. San Diego. Bogotá. Walk around any major tourist destination these days, and you'll see them. Electric scooters, gliding silently around city center streets, zipping through traffic signals, or abandoned -- lying on the street, propped up against trees or, in some cases, dumped in rivers.
Sun on the rails - Solar-powered trains could make rail transport greener
The Economist
Solar panels are connected directly to the line.
California Is Done with the Gasoline Engine
Car and Driver
The state won't buy gas-powered fleet cars or cars built by anti-CARB automakers, including Toyota and GM.
Editorial: CA must boycott automakers with Trump to support Valley air
Fresno Bee
The San Joaquin Valley is among the worst places in the nation for air quality. It has been that way for many years, and that was reconfirmed last April when the American Lung Association issued its annualState of the Air report.
New Arizona Development Bans Residents From Bringing Cars
Wall Street Journal
Developers of Tempe rental community aim to draw younger people with pedestrian-friendly design.
WATER
Large scale Chowchilla water project receives Project of the Year award
Madera Tribune
The City of Chowchilla, CA was honored by the American Public Works Association Central California Chapter with its 2019 APWA Project of the Year Award in the category of Small Cities/Rural Communities, Buildings/Structures for their large scale Water Storage/Booster Pump/Pressure Sustaining Valves Project.
“Xtra”
Wondering if your favorite store is closed on Thanksgiving? Check here to find out
Fresno Bee
Like it or not, hoards of shoppers will show up at stores on Thanksgiving Day seeking deals. The Black Friday rush has crept into Thursday, with the earliest big-box retailer in the Fresno area, JCPenney, opening at 2 p.m. Most other big-box stores open at 5 p.m. or 6 p.m. Every year the debate over retail employees working the holiday surfaces.
Black Friday shopping: The best time to brave the crowds in Fresno and how to avoid them
Fresno Bee
The holiday shopping season is upon us. Yes, it’s barely Thanksgiving, but Thursday is also the start of the of the Black Friday weekend shopping rush that stretches through Cyber Monday. In fact, Black Friday deals started at some stores last week – or even earlier.
Modesto on Ice opens in Downtown Modesto
Modesto Bee
The tented outdoor ice rink in downtown Modesto opened Saturday for its fifth season.
What’s going on in the Modesto region? A lot, here’s a look
Modesto Bee
Events across the Modesto, CA, region.
Test yourself with our new free game: PolitiTruth
Think you can tell the difference between True and False?
Do you really know what is fake news?
Support the Maddy Daily
Thank you!
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.
To Subscribe or Unsubscribe: mjeans@csufresno.edu