26Nov

POLICY & POLITICS

APPLY TODAY / Maddy Institute Leg Intern Scholar Program

(San Joaquin Valley -- Washington D.C. – Sacramento)

DEADLINE: DEC. 7TH - Qualify For Scholarship (Up To $6,000)

The Maddy Institute

The Maddy Scholar Intern Program’s goal is to prepare the next generation of political, governmental, business, non-profit leaders for the San Joaquin Valley through internship opportunities in local, state and federal government offices in Washington, D.C., Sacramento and throughout the region.

North SJ Valley:

Clinics to bring free health care to homeless and poor in Turlock

Modesto Bee

Mobile health clinics will make two stops in Turlock next week to offer free medical services to the homeless and low-income individuals and families.

Central SJ Valley:

Fresno County voting: Comparing 2018 midterm turnout to 2014

Fresno Bee

But by the time tens of thousands of late-arriving vote-by-mail ballots are counted and the election certified, Fresno County’s turnout will have far exceeded what it was in the 2014 midterms and rival the best turnout for an off-year election in 20 years.

South SJ Valley:

Three candidates separated by 40 votes in Farmersville races

Visalia Times Delta

While races for state and federal offices continue to hold from early returns, the race for Farmersville City Council is tightening.

Cox closes gap between Valadao

Hanford Sentinel

Incumbent congressman David Valadao (R-Hanford) declared victory over Democrat challenger TJ Cox on Election Night, but since that time, Cox has had a surge in the polls.

State:

Top California Democrat investigated for sexual misconduct

Fresno Bee

The California Democratic Party is investigating complaints of sexual misconduct against Chairman Eric Bauman. Daraka Larimore-Hall, second vice-chair of the party, has filed for Bauman’s removal.

● Official accuses state Dem chairman of sexual misconduct San Francisco Chronicle

Election is hardly over and yet Calif's next campaign season is less than a year away

Los Angeles Times

More than a dozen Californians will win their first terms in the state Legislature or U.S. Congress if current election results hold, most for two-year terms in office. But they won’t even get half of that time — less than any freshmen lawmakers in more than a decade — to do the job before the pressure of fundraising, opponents and electoral politics begins to build again.

See Also:

● Record Number Of Women Candidates Win In California’s 2018 Election Capital Public Radio

● California Republicans have a big problem: women San Francisco Chronicle

My turn: A (very) open letter to Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom

CALmatters

So, Gov.-elect Newsom, as you begin the somber duty of declaring disasters, issuing statements of reassurance and condolences, and lowering the capitol flag to half-staff, here are some disruptive ideas for keeping the spirit of California up–ideas you may not hear from those around you responsible for putting out the day-to-day fires:

Mayes: California Republicans missed the future

CALmatters

Donald Trump’s statements on immigration, gender equality, and the environment damaged the Republican brand in California. While many of us continued to work on solution- and people-oriented policies, a vocal minority of the Republican Party viewed Trump’s election as a reason to double down on his rhetoric.

● Former California GOP Congressman Says Republicans Had it Coming NBCLA

Federal:

Nancy Pelosi’s bid for speaker puts Democrats in disarray

Fresno Bee

To the victor goes the mayhem. Democrats in Congress are learning that lesson as they manage their way through hard feelings and even harder choices.

See Also:

● Democrats shun idea of Pelosi floor fight in speaker’s race Fresno Bee

● Pelosi’s supporters are confident she will have votes to become House speaker Washington Post

● Pelosi’s Grip on Power to Be Tested This Week Wall Street Journal

The New Democratic House Needs an Anti-Poverty Agenda

The Nation

Democrats have an opportunity to show voters what economic justice really looks like.

● OPINION: Bernie Sanders: Democrats need a bold agenda. Here's what they should do in the first 100 days of Congress. Washington Post

The excesses of political parties threaten the American experiment

Fresno Bee

The senatorial posturing, preening, pontification and performance aside, the Kavanaugh hearings above all reflected the baneful ills of faction.

See Also:

● Some consequences of the election just past Madera Tribune

● If an Election Was Stolen, Say It Was Stolen Esquire

● Early Voting Could Turn the Democratic 2020 Race on Its Head New York Magazine

● Trump’s Odd Definition of ‘America First’ National Review

Trump Is Reshaping The Judiciary. A Breakdown By Race, Gender And Qualification

NPR

In partnership with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, the Trump White House has secured lifetime appointments for 29 appeals court judges and 53 district court judges. That's not to mention two Supreme Court nominees.

● OPINION: O Come All Ye Judges The Wall Street Journal

● OPINION: Chief Justice Roberts is wrong. We do have Obama judges and Trump judges. Washington Post

● John Roberts' brushback pitch at Trump comes with a big old asterisk Los Angeles Times

Other:

The jury is out on my worthiness to serve

Bakersfield Californian

Jury duty is like hell: The quicker you accept that your options are limited, the better you’ll feel about it not being as hot as the literature suggests.

Newspapers are shells of their former selves. So who’s going to build what comes next in local?

Nieman Journalism Lab

This is the state of the local daily newspaper business today: Simple survival is the question. Which prompts another question: Are we moving into the NINO age? As in, newspapers in name only, to borrow from the RINO slang of pre-Trump Republicanism.

Fox News launches 'Fox Nation' as news networks try to catch the streaming wave

Los Angeles Times

Finley believes the devotion to the conservative-leaning cable news channel in red states is deep enough that fans will shell out an extra $5.99 a month for an over-the-top streaming channel with Fox programming.

Why Are So Many Election Ballots Confusing?

NPR

A co-founder of the Center for Civic Design, regularly advises election boards on best practices for their ballots.

What the 2018 elections mean for state and local spending

Brookings

From property tax increases to pension fund requirements, Nathan Arnosti and Michael Pagano track the results and likely consequences of more than 100 state and local ballot measures related to fiscal policy issues.

9 good policy ideas to be thankful for

Brookings

From building public learning spaces for children to breaking down barriers for women in tech, we look back at some of the most innovative policy ideas and positive news stories highlighted in Brookings podcasts this year.

OPINION: Conservatism and Populism Go Back Centuries

The Wall Street Journal

Donald Trump’s emergence as the tribune of conservative hopes and popular anxieties was improbable. But he didn’t invent the alliance between conservatism and populism—or, to speak less polemically, between conservatism and the people. He rode the wave of a populist revolt sweeping across the Western world.

See Also:

● OPINION: Conservatism Isn’t Dead Yet The Wall Street Journal

AGRICULTURE/FOOD

PODCAST: How Trump’s trade wars are affecting American farmers

PBS

Listen to How Trump’s trade wars are affecting American farmers from PBS NewsHour - Segments in Podcasts.

As immigrant farmworkers become more scarce, robots replace humans

New York Times

As a boy, Abel Montoya remembers his father arriving home from the lettuce fields each evening, the picture of exhaustion, mud caked knee-high on his trousers. “Dad wanted me to stay away from manual labor. He was keen for me to stick to the books,” Mr. Montoya said. So he did, and went to college.

EDITORIAL: The public has the right to know about tainted turkeys and sick chickens

Los Angeles Times

Did you run to the freezer to check the label on your socked-away package of ground turkey after hearing about the recall of Jennie-O products last week? If not, do it now. We’ll wait.

With Jeff Sessions out at the Justice Dept., the marijuana movement exhales

Los Angeles Times

When Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions was ousted recently, a collective sigh of relief rose up from proponents of legalized pot — activists, politicians, investors — who felt targeted by the nation’s top law enforcement officer.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE / FIRE / PUBLIC SAFETY

Crime:

Legislature needs to fix crime definitions

Madera Tribune

There isn’t a woman alive who was ever raped while either intoxicated or unconscious who doesn’t consider the entire experience violent. But that’s not how these crimes are defined legally in California.

Holidays a time for celebration, but also to be on the lookout for thieves

Bakersfield Californian

With the passing of Black Friday, expect stores to be more crowded and decent parking spots sparse as shoppers spend the next weeks loading up for the holidays. It's nothing unusual this time of year.

My turn: Why excluding convicted felons from juries is a bad idea

CALmatters

A citizen who bears the mark of a felony conviction poses no more of a threat to a jury than does any other citizen who has at some point lied, cheated, stolen, made a mistake, but has never been caught. And like those citizens, prospective jurors with a felony criminal history ought to be allowed to take part in jury selection, to help ensure that our juries reflect our citizenry.

Bail bond industry moves to block sweeping California law, submitting signatures for a 2020 ballot referendum

Los Angeles Times

A coalition of bail bond industry groups took a major step Tuesday toward blocking California’s historic overhaul of the bail system, submitting more than enough signatures required for a statewide referendum on the law in 2020.

EDITORIAL: Brown and Newsom know the death penalty is wrong. They should work together to do something about it

Los Angeles Times

The death penalty is impracticable and unusable. But it’s also unfair and immoral.

Public Safety:

Which Americans support the Second Amendment? The answer depends on whether whites or blacks have the guns.

The Washington Post

Our findings suggest that views of Second Amendment rights are no different. They are strongly influenced by the identity of the group bearing arms. Again, many people don’t recognize rights claims by groups they don’t like.

● What might not have happened at Douglas High if Florida had this law. We’ll never know Sacramento Bee

CHP collects teddy bears to comfort children in crashes

abc30

The stuffed animals will be kept in patrol cars and handed to kids involved in tragic incidents or collisions. CHP says they are working to plan another drive similar to this one before Christmas to take in even more donations.

A Book of Dreams: Guardian House keeps kids safe and learning while parents work through issues

Modesto Bee

Children’s Crisis Center shelter in Oakdale protects kids of all ages at risk of abuse or neglect as parents confront substance abuse, behavioral health, homelessness and other issues.

Fire:

As Camp Fire reaches 100% containment, death count drops due to authorities’ error

Fresno Bee

The Camp Fire, which has ravaged Butte County and demolished the town of Paradise, reached full containment Sunday morning with the number of reported deaths now standing at 85.

● ‘This fire was outrunning us’: Surviving the Camp Fire took bravery, stamina and luck Fresno Bee

● Rain tamps down California fire but turns grim search soggy Fresno Bee

● The Butte sheriff lists 475 people still missing in the Camp Fire. Are they really? Fresno Bee

● Central Valley residents hope to give new homes to Camp Fire victims abc30

● Paradise educators work to get kids back in school Modesto Bee

● The Camp Fire destroyed Paradise. Now what to do with a town that 'was' and might be? Visalia Times Delta

● Catastrophic Camp Wildfire Finally Contained Capital Public Radio

● As California Wildfire Winds Down, Rain And Winds Create New Fears Capital Public Radio

● 'I Don’t Want To See Any More Of Them Die': No Legislator Has Confronted The Effects Of Wildfire Like This Forensic Dentist Capital Public Radio

● California's deadliest fire on record is 100% contained, officials say Los Angeles Times

● Searching for 'anything that looks human': Grim work in Paradise continues Los Angeles Times

● California Fires Shine Light On Little-Known Private Firefighters Valley Public Radio

● California’s deadliest, most destructive wildfire fully contained San Francisco Chronicle

● EDITORIAL: Camp Fire was the tragedy Paradise had been warned about Modesto Bee

● EDITORIAL: Rebuild Paradise? California has to reconsider putting homes in the path of more dangerous fires Los Angeles Times

● EDITORIAL: California’s wildfire crisis warrants help, not politics San Francisco Chronicle

Woolsey fire destroyed 1,643 structures in destructive siege of Ventura County and Malibu

Los Angeles Times

The Woolsey fire destroyed 1,643 structures as it swept through Oak Park and Ventura County and into Malibu, according to a final report released Sunday.

● Lawsuit filed against SoCal Edison on behalf of Woolsey Fire victims abc30

Understaffed And Overworked: Firefighters Exhausted By Severe California Fires

Capital Public Radio

As major wildfires increase in California, some firefighters are being pushed to the point of exhaustion — and overtime costs are soaring.

Walters: How do we cope with wildfires’ financial impacts?

CALmatters

The human toll of this month’s California wildfires is staggering – dozens known to have died and hundreds still unaccounted for, especially residents of Paradise.

● PG&E Climbs as California Lawmaker Plans Fire Relief Bill Bloomberg

Tulare County gets grants for dead tree removal effort

Visalia Times-Delta

As California fire officials deal with the devasting impacts of wildfires, local agencies are working to prevent such disasters from happening in Tulare County.

Climate change could triple the frequency of large wildfires, says new federal report

Modesto Bee

Residents of the western United States should prepare for a potential tripling of large wildfires in coming decades, a new federal report stated Friday, adding that the region should also expect additional water shortages.

See Also:

● Federal report links western wildfires to climate change McClatchy Washington Bureau

● Climate Change Is Already Hurting U.S. Communities, Federal Report Says NPR

● Government climate report warns of worsening US disasters AP News

● U.S. Climate Report Warns of Damaged Environment and Shrinking Economy The New York Times

ECONOMY / JOBS

Economy:

Trump administration’s own analyses indicate many of its new regulations will hurt vulnerable Americans

Los Angeles Times

These human costs – which include more deaths from air pollution, higher medical bills and increased student debt – rarely get mentioned by the president, who often touts the economic benefits of his deregulatory campaign.

Trump Expresses Dissatisfaction With Treasury Secretary

The Wall Street Journal

President Trump has expressed dissatisfaction with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, blaming him for the appointment of a Federal Reserve chairman who has been raising interest rates, a move Mr. Trump worries will jeopardize economic gains as his 2020 re-election campaign approaches, people familiar with the matter said.

OPINION: Trump Kicked the Sluggish Economy Into High Gear

The Wall Street Journal

Today’s jobs also offer more hours than in the recent past. In Mr. Obama’s last 21 months the economy added an average of 148,000 full-time workers a month. Under Mr. Trump that number has risen to 218,000, a 47% improvement.

EDITORIAL: Trump must turn around his failing trade strategy at G20 summit

San Francisco Chronicle

The world’s two largest economies — represented by President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping — will be holding talks at this week’s G20 meeting in Buenos Aires.

Justices to hear antitrust case over sale of iPhone apps

Fresno Bee

Apple is at the Supreme Court to defend the way it sells apps for iPhones against claims by consumers that the company has unfairly monopolized the market.

Holiday storm fails to put cloud over Black Friday shoppers

Visalia Times Delta

Wednesday’s showers failed to cast a black cloud over Tulare County’s dedicated deal-hunters.

Shark Tank Without The Teeth Asks For Business Proposals To Benefit Local Communities

Valley Public Radio

Last week, at the Lanna Coffee Company in Downtown Fresno, entrepreneurs pitched their business ideas to judges. It was all part of theSpark Tank Pitch Fest put on by Fresno Pacific’s Center for Community Transformation.

Restoring middle-class incomes: redistribution won’t do

Brookings

Certainly providing more direct help to the middle class is an urgent need. But in the long run, redistribution cannot be the primary means for increasing the incomes of middle-class households. Higher market incomes will be needed.

America’s widening equality problem, in charts

Politico

Increasingly, the United States is a country divided geographically into have and have-nots. Those who have jobs and high incomes and expensive homes are clustered in some communities, while those who are struggling are concentrated in other communities

Jobs:

A ‘Job Killer’ Family Leave Bill Is Now Law For Small Business. Here’s How It’s Working Out

Capital Public Radio

The New Parent Leave Act builds allows eligible employees at companies with 20 to 49 employees to take three months of unpaid leave to care for a newborn or newly adopted child, with the guarantee that their jobs will remain open for them.

Wessel’s Economic Update: Can the unemployment rate fall too low?

Brookings

So who is worried about too little unemployment? Well, some folks at the Federal Reserve for starters—and not because they are hard-hearted, nasty people.

EDUCATION

K-12:

KHSD moving forward with new high school in southeast Bakersfield

Bakersfield Californian

The Kern High School District is moving forward with its plans to bring a new school to southeast Bakersfield.

Walters: School budgets squeezed despite 'extraordinary' state surplus

CALmatters

Taylor estimates that the “minimum guarantee” of K-12 and community college revenues under state law will increase by $2.4 billion in 2019-20 over the current year. However, mandatory payments to the California State Teachers Retirement System and the California Public Retirement System will increase by $1.35 billion, thus consuming more than half of the revenue boost.

School reformers lose big, so now what?

CALmatters

Donald Trump and his Republican Party were obviously big losers in this month’s California election. But so was a loose confederation of civil rights, public school reform and charter school advocates, most of whose leaders are Democrats.

Helping students overcome the impact of No Child Left Behind

Brookings

As college professors, Kathy Hirsh-Pasek and Laurence Steinberg have noticed an increase in students struggling with written exams. With their observations confirmed by nationwide assessments, Hirsh-Pasek and Steinberg examine why curriculums developed under No Child Left Behind have in fact left many students behind those in other parts of the developed world.

Higher Ed:

Community college state chancellor headed to Lemoore

Hanford Sentinel

California Community Colleges Chancellor Eloy Ortiz Oakley will be paying a visit to West Hills College Lemoore on Nov. 29. The trip is part of a series of events to gather feedback as the system implements its “Vision for Success” plan, which aims to improve student outcomes and close achievement gaps.

Increasing Latino college completion is key for California's economy, report states

NBC News

For California to maintain its standing as the fifth-largest economy in the world, the state has to produce at least 1.65 million college graduates by 2030. But it won't reach this goal without Latino educational success, and many of the state's schools are not preparing young Hispanics for higher education.

Videos: Higher Education Priorities

PPIC

Most Californians believe that higher education should be a priority for Governor-elect Newsom, and affordability is a major concern. Two events last week highlighted these and other findings from PPIC's latest survey on Californians' views on higher education.

PODCAST: Humanics Professor Says One Way To Start Serving The Valley: "See People As People," Use Empathy

Valley Public Radio

Listen to the interview above to hear Simmons talk about the Humanics program, and how to find ways to better serve your own community. In his words, it can be as simple as taking a walk and talking to people.

ENVIRONMENT/ ENERGY

Environment:

Climate change could triple the frequency of large wildfires, says new federal report

Modesto Bee

● Bigger wildfires. Worsening droughts. More disease. How climate change is battering California Los Angeles Times

● Trump's dire climate report hands ammunition to Democrats Politico

● Major Trump administration climate report says damages are 'intensifying across the country' Los Angeles Times

● CALmatters Explains: California's War on Climate Change CALmatters

● Federal report links western wildfires to climate change McClatchy Washington Bureau

● Climate Change Is Already Hurting U.S. Communities, Federal Report Says NPR

● Government climate report warns of worsening US disasters AP News

● U.S. Climate Report Warns of Damaged Environment and Shrinking Economy The New York Times

San Joaquin River salmon make big gains, but don’t call it a comeback yet

Fresno Bee

Fish biologists bringing back salmon runs on the San Joaquin River in California say a record number of fish nests have been found in the river below Friant Dam east of Fresno.

Fresno’s most scenic San Joaquin River spot no longer trashy, thanks to him

Fresno Bee

Tired of watching Fresno’s River West Open Space Area get trashed by litterbugs, Tom Bohigian placed some cans with a positive message. One year later, the 508-acre area west of Highway 41 is a lot cleaner.

Natural disasters will be a priority for incoming governors

Fresno Bee

For US governors, including 19 taking office early next year, fires, floods and other natural disasters could become top policy concerns.

Report: Air Pollution Is Deadlier Than Smoking Or War

Forbes

The findings were published in the University of Chicago’s Air Quality Life Index on Monday and they represent an attempt to find out the extent to which tiny particles ingested from polluted air shorten life.

Energy:

California Raises More Than $800 Million In Carbon Auction

Capital Public Radio

California raised more than $800 million from selling permits to release greenhouse gases in the latest quarterly auction.

Trump Push For 'Energy Dominance' Boosts Drilling On Public Land

Capital Public Radio

The Trump administration is offering millions of acres of federal land for oil and gas drilling. It's a boon for some states, but is fueling battles with environmentalists.

VIDEO: Can an entire town run on solar?

PBS NewsHour Weekend

In an attempt to “do it the right way,” developer Syd Kitson is building Babcock Ranch, an 18,000-acre planned community just north of Ft. Meyers, with hope that it can operate almost entirely on solar power.

EDITORIAL: We’ve turned our backs on wind energy. That’s a mistake

Fresno Bee

Development of onshore wind farms in California has lagged as counties have put restrictions in place. Offshore farms are a possibility, but opposition is surfacing, and that could interfere with the state’s ability to meet clean energy goals.

HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES

Health:

Spinal-cord stimulators help some patients, injure others

Fresno Bee

Doctors and medical device manufacturers promote spinal-cord stimulators as the answer to U.S. opioid crisis. But AP investigation reveals the device is more dangerous than patients know. Thousands have been shocked, burned or suffered other injuries.

How many kids have autism? US government measures 3 ways

Fresno Bee

A new U.S. government estimate on autism doesn't necessarily mean the numbers of kids affected is rising.

Report: Air Pollution Is Deadlier Than Smoking Or War

Forbes

Human Services:

Clinics to bring free health care to homeless and poor in Turlock

Modesto Bee

Mobile health clinics will make two stops in Turlock next week to offer free medical services to the homeless and low-income individuals and families.

Enough: Modesto asks people to stop dropping off donations at Beard Brook Park

Modesto Bee

The city posted the message on social media Wednesday saying that due to the “ongoing support of Modesto’s homeless, no further donations are needed at Beard Book Park.”

Dignity Health receives state approval to join Colorado-based health system

Bakersfield Californian

Dignity Health, San Francisco-based owner of local hospitals Bakersfield Memorial, Mercy downtown and Mercy Southwest, has received state approval to join with Catholic Health Initiatives, a Colorado-based nonprofit with no operations in California.

My turn: We must do a better job with birth control education

CALmatters

New research finds a troubling disconnect between the community college students’ desire to avoid pregnancy and how they act when it comes to preventing it. Students do not consider themselves to be at risk of pregnancy, nor do they express worry about getting pregnant, despite not wanting to have a child while in school.

How Insurers Dodge The Costs Of Popular Sleep Apnea Devices

NPR

As many CPAP users discover, the life-altering device comes with caveats: Health insurance companies are often tracking whether patients use them. If they aren't, the insurers might not cover the machines or the supplies that go with them.

OPINION: Imagine What We Could Cure

The Wall Street Journal

Imagine what we could learn today from big-data analysis of everyone’s health records: our conditions, treatments and outcomes. Then throw in genetic data, information on local environmental conditions, exercise and lifestyle habits and even the treasure troves accumulated by Google and Facebook .

Reform Medi-Cal To Reduce Poverty

Medium

California Legislature and governor must reform Medi-Cal, both to improve health and to stop the crowding out of other state programs.

EDITORIAL: Americans may be ready for Medicare for all, but Congress isn’t

Los Angeles Times

Some progressive Democrats are pushing for a vote in the new Congress on Medicare for all, a national health insurance program covering all Americans without charging premiums, deductibles or co-pays. They seem to have the public on their side, at least conceptually.

IMMIGRATION

US agents fire tear gas as some migrants try to breach fence

Fresno Bee

U.S. border agents fired tear gas on hundreds of migrants protesting near the border with Mexico on Sunday after some of them attempted to get through the fencing and wire separating the two countries.

See Also:

● Mexico to up security at border after migrants try to cross Fresno Bee

● U.S.-Mexico border reopened after migrants attempt to breach fence: Border Patrol abc30

● U.S. Agents Spray Tear Gas At Migrants, Briefly Close Tijuana Border Entry Capital Public Radio

● U.S.-Mexican border at Tijuana-San Ysidro crossing reopens to travelers Los Angeles Times

● Mexico confronted Central American migrants with new severity. It cost one man his life Los Angeles Times

● Incoming Mexico gov't: No deal to host US asylum-seekers San Francisco Chronicle

● U.S.-Mexico border reopens after clash with migrants prompts five-hour closure San Diego Union-Tribune

● Caravan creates unprecedented crisis for Tijuana, and fierce debate San Diego Union-Tribune

● Schultz: How we can help the migrant caravan The Washington Post

Trump administration reaches deal with Mexico to make asylum seekers wait outside U.S. while their claims are processed

The Washington Post

According to outlines of the plan, asylum applicants will have to stay in Mexico while their cases are processed by U.S. immigration courts, potentially ending the system President Trump decries as “catch and release” that has generally allowed those seeking refuge to wait in the United States while their claims are processed

Nearly 150 Separated Migrant Children Remain in U.S. Custody

Roll Call

One-hundred and forty-seven undocumented migrant children separated from their parents because of President Donald Trump’s zero-tolerance border security policy remained in government custody as of Nov. 6, a new government report said.

A Not-Guilty Verdict Absolves Border Patrol Of Cross-Border Killing

Capital Public Radio

A Border Patrol agent was found not-guilty of involuntary manslaughter, raising questions about when and where use of excessive force is allowed in defending the U.S. border with Mexico.

LAND USE/HOUSING

Land Use:

Too many loud parties or junk next door: Fresno County needs new code enforcement

Fresno Bee

Loud parties or neighbors storing junk on their property: Linda Piearcy of suburban Fresno County decries the lack of code enforcement in the neighborhood where she lives.

Aesthetic crisis? City braces for hundreds of 5G cell facilities as FCC reduces local control

Bakersfield Californian

In the impending rollout of the new technology, the city will have a limited ability to regulate the new cell facilities, prompting concerns that the aesthetics of the city’s streetscapes could be jeopardized

Long-delayed Ceres Walmart Supercenter should start construction early next year

Modesto Bee

As shoppers across the Central Valley pack stores this holiday season, this time next year in Ceres customers could be lining up for at a brand new Walmart Su%er.

Tulare County gets grants for dead tree removal effort

Visalia Times-Delta

As California fire officials deal with the devasting impacts of wildfires, local agencies are working to prevent such disasters from happening in Tulare County.

Meadows Field re-opens its main runway, after years of reconstruction work

Bakersfield Californian

According to Kern County Director of Airports Mark Witsoe, work on Runway 12L-30R has been completed in three phases over four years. The runway opening means the airport can more effectively keep the takeoff and landing of heavier commercial aircraft separate from smaller, lighter planes.

Housing:

New Woodlake subdivision OK'd, despite potential water woes

Visalia Times Delta

Supervisors approved a request for a housing development near Woodlake, affirming a previous decision by the planning commission and following a recommendation from Tulare County administrators.

California’s housing shortage has companies carving up apartments to lower the rent

Los Angeles Times

Amid a sharp rise in housing costs in booming U.S. cities, a growing number of companies believe the affordability crisis has grown so bad there’s significant money to be made in offering — if not solutions —at least some relief.

Yet more evidence that housing affordability is getting worse

Brookings

The bottom line: it wasn’t easy for poor families to find an apartment they could afford in 2010 – in fact, only 11.2 % of unsubsidized apartments were affordable to very low income households – and matters have gotten worse.

PUBLIC FINANCES

Cal Expo cop’s lawsuit targets state worker union fees

Sacramento Bee

A state fair police officer is suing his union because it won’t let him quit paying dues, challenging a common provision in California public employee contracts that forbids workers from leaving labor organizations while contracts are in effect.

CalPERS plans new way to invest in private equity

Calpensions

Private equity has been the highest-yielding investment for CalPERS. But it’s also resulted in prison for a former chief executive, criticism because sky-high fees were not tracked, and frustration from being unable to target specific investments and shunned by some big firms.

EDITORIAL: Too many in Fresno are poor in retirement. A state plan can help them avoid that trap

Fresno Bee

A new state program will help low-to-moderate income workers save for retirement. Such a plan is valuable to those working in the central San Joaquin Valley, which has some of the nation’s highest poverty.

TRANSPORTATION

Valley’s Amtrak grappling with ridership declines, despite earlier times

Bakersfield Californian

Amtrak’s San Joaquin trains that roll daily through Fresno en route to Bakersfield, Oakland and Sacramento marked their eighth consecutive year carrying at least 1 million passengers, and maintained their status as the sixth busiest passenger rail route in the nation.

WATER

‘We had to go out of town to shower.’ Water restored for some at Fresno apartments

Fresno Bee

Tenants at a northeast Fresno, CA apartment complex are hoping to return to life as usual, after going nearly a week without water.

County to expand its water offices

Madera Tribune

Madera County plans to invite contractors to offer estimates for a project to install offices, cubicles, and a large multipurpose room in the government center’s third floor.

Outgoing Gov. Brown tries to forge big water deal

CALmatters

As climate change threatens to affect California’s water supply, outgoing Gov. Jerry Brown tries to do a big picture water deal in the final days of his governorship.

“Xtra”

For Thanksgiving Hosts, Carrying On Family Traditions Means More Than Just Turkey

VPR

Hear from a few San Joaquin Valley residents about how they celebrate Thanksgiving. Like most families, it’s a time for them to gather, cook, and the menu usually includes the expected turkey and mashed potatoes. But they also incorporate other cultures into their gatherings.

With the kids on holiday break, you need something to do. Here are a few ideas

Fresno Bee

The grand opening of Coyote Entertainment Center in Lemoore comes at a great time, just at the start of the holiday season, with school children at home on break – and parents no doubt looking for for family-friendly outings.

The 2018 Christmas TV guide, from Rudolph to the Grinch and all the Hallmark movies

Fresno Bee

We’re back with our 2018 guide to the most wonderful (TV) time of the year. We’ll be updating this guide throughout December as more holiday specials populate the schedule. We’re sticking mostly to prime-time programming on broadcast networks and basic cable.

NAACP Freedom Fund event honors community achievements

Hanford Sentinel

Several honorees were recognized at the annual NAACP Freedom Fund award banquet Nov. 17 at Brookside Country Club in Stockton. About 200 people attended the black-tie event, which was a celebration of community achievement and those who had a part in making it happen.