October 15, 2018

15Oct

POLICY & POLITICS


Valley:


California Online Voter Registration

California Secretary of State

The deadline to register or re-register to vote for any election is 11:59:59 p.m. Pacific Time on the 15th calendar day before that election.

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Feinstein takes stance on assault after Kavanaugh confirmation

Fresno Bee

Sen. Dianne Feinstein vowed Friday to speak out about the sexual harassment and assault of women following the confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court.

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House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy’s family benefited from U.S. program for minorities based on disputed ancestry

Los Angeles Times

A company owned by McCarthy’s in-laws received millions in federal contracts based on disputed claims of Cherokee Indian heritage, a Times investigation has found.


Meet the candidates: Lemoore City Council District A

Hanford Sentinel

The midterm election is Nov. 6. In preparation for the election, the Sentinel asked candidates in local races to answer questions so voters can get to know them.

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Local advocacy group encourages west Modesto voters to make their voices heard

Modesto Bee

The nonprofit Faith in the Valley advocacy group canvassed a west Modesto neighborhood, encouraging registered voters who had not participated in the past few elections.

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Report: Turlock mayor’s dad did not follow rules in catering son’s event

Modesto Bee

The Turlock Unified School District has determined its longtime child nutrition director, who also is the father of Turlock Mayor Gary Soiseth, acted outside the scope of his duties and permission when he catered his son’s State of the City Address in July.


Forum gives community an opportunity to hear from education candidates

Recordnet

Dozens of candidates running for school boards at Stockton and Lincoln unifieds and San Joaquin Delta College pitched their ideas and solutions towards education at a forum on Friday afternoon.


Judge Gary T. Friedman retiring after 35-year career, taking on new role in the downtown courthouse

Bakersfield Californian

On Oct. 30, Superior Court Judge Gary T. Friedman retires after a 35-year career on the bench marked by a strong moral sense, unflagging commitment to fairness and a soothing courtroom demeanor.  The next day, he'll start a new job.


EDITORIAL: For state Senate Districts 8 and 14, Borgeas and Vidak are The Bee’s recommendations

Fresno Bee

Fresno Bee recommends Andy Vidak for state Senate District 14 and and Andreas Borgeas for state Senate District 8.


EDITORIAL: Trump to give Nunes the Medal of Freedom? Better idea: free nights at a Trump hotel

Fresno Bee

President Trump wants to give Rep. Devin Nunes the Medal of Freedom for his “bravery” in leading the House Intelligence Committee when it looked into Russian collusion with the Trump campaign. The Bee’s opinion: Bad idea.

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EDITORIAL: What has turned Turlock toxic? It’s the mayor. City needs a new one.

Modesto Bee

Gary Soiseth has big ideas, but he’s turned city council meeting into a battle zone. Residents should elect Amy Bublak (or maybe Brad Bates) to replace him.


EDITORIAL: Gray helps give Valley its voice; re-elect him

Modesto Bee

On water, a medical school, clean energy, roads and help for homeless, Assemblyman Adam Gray has delivered. He should be re-elected.


State:


After recent errors, California DMV promises new quality control of voter registration process

Los Angeles Times

The California Department of Motor Vehicles has decided to implement new quality control on its voter registration process following​​ Monday’s revelation​​ of as many as 1,500 non-citizens being wrongly registered to vote.

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Watching the rise of the Lilac State

Madera Tribune

During times of intense political interest, which seems to be all of the time in recent years, states are commonly identified by color. I chose the color lilac to symbolize the California. Although no such animal currently exists, the Lilac State will have some red and some blue, but mostly it will have voters who register as independents,


California Senators Say They Did Not Sign Off On Judicial Nominees

Capital Public Radio

Sens. Dianne Feinstein and Kamala Harris said they did not sign off on three White House nominees for open California seats on the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals and will oppose the confirmations, according to a report.


Sen. Kamala Harris’ US tour fuels talk about a 2020 presidential bid

Sacramento Bee

Rookie senators aren't usually in such high demand to speak and raise money on behalf of colleagues in other parts of the country. But Kamala Harris' packed travel schedule is another sign of the freshman California senator's rising profile in the Democratic Party.

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A Disrupter From Day One: How Kevin De León Became The Democrat Trying To Topple Dianne Feinstein

Capital Public Radio

After 12 years in the Legislature, De León leaves a stack of accomplishments but also developed a reputation for power tripping and chasing the spotlight.

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California Democrats Hope Asian-American Voters Can Help Flip Red Districts

Capital Public Radio

In conservative Orange County, a growing Asian-American population could have an impact on some key competitive House races in the midterms.

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Citizenship Question Could Impact Census Count, Putting California Congress Seat At Risk

Capital Public Radio

California could be at risk of losing a congressional seat depending on the results of the 2020 census, according to a new report.


No matter how Californians feel about daylight saving time, Proposition 7 promises to do precisely nothing

Los Angeles Times

Two days before Californians go to the polls next month, as clocks and watches will be reset, the central question of Proposition 7 will be clear: Wouldn’t it be nice if we didn’t have to change the time twice a year?


From In-N-Out to the County Fair: Republican John Cox Tries to Make a Name in California

New York Times

John Cox, the Republican businessman running for governor of California, and his small entourage breezed through the doors of an In-N-Out Burger in Ventura County the other day. Mr. Cox introduced himself to a couple at a corner table eating burgers, mentioning how he has been rising in some polls.


When it comes to Californians, Trump is quick to lob insults

San Francisco Chronicle

President Trump is totally and completely devoted to campaigning every hour of every day and in every location where there is a political contest.


EDITORIAL: A list of The Times' endorsements for the Nov. 6 election (so far)

Los Angeles Times

The Times’ endorsements for the Nov. 6 election as they have been published so far. It is an incomplete list, and will be amended as we add new endorsements.


Federal:


Trump's approval improves, yet Dems still lead for the House

abc30

Donald Trump's job approval rating advanced to its second-highest of his career in a new ABC News/Washington Post poll, but not by enough to erase a double-digit Democratic lead in midterm​​ election​​ vote preferences.

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Republicans Gain Ground in Fight to Retain Their Narrow Senate Majority

Wall Street Journal

Recent public polling shows GOP candidates leading in North Dakota, Tennessee and Texas


Voters say they are more likely to cast ballots in this year’s midterm elections

Washington Post

Three weeks before critical midterm elections, voters are expressing significantly more interest in turning out than they were four years ago, according to a​​ Washington Post-ABC News poll. Enthusiasm is up across almost all demographic groups, but the increases are greater among younger adults, nonwhite voters and those who say they favor Democrats for the House.

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Trump suggests that defense secretary may be planning to quit

Stockton Record

President Donald Trump hinted that Defense Secretary James Mattis may be planning to quit his administration, and described the former U.S. Marine Corps general as “sort of a Democrat.”

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President Trump on Christine Blasey Ford, his relationships with Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un and more

CBS News

Lesley Stahl speaks with President Trump about a wide range of topics in his first 60 Minutes interview since taking office.


Why This Election Is So Hard to Predict

Wall Street Journal

Analysts say a president's job-approval rating is the most important sign of his party's prospects ahead of midterm congressional elections. But with the economy at record strength, the usual rules may not apply to Donald Trump. Watch these metrics to understand the unusual climate of 2018.

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Other:


Is Fresno County still killing dogs, cats at highest rate in state? New report shows change

Fresno Bee

Six years ago, almost 75 percent of animals in Fresno County shelters were euthanized – the highest rate in the state. Now, it’s less than 50 percent. Better collaboration with rescues is one reason.


US lacks Latino historical sites and landmarks, scholars say

Sacramento Bee

The lack of historical markers and preserved historical sites connected to Latino civil rights worries scholars who feel the scarcity is affecting how Americans see Hispanics in U.S. history.


Young Women Aren’t Waiting to Seek Political Power

Wall Street Journal

Surge of candidates breaks from prior generations who postponed running for office until after their families were established


Now for Rent: Email Addresses and Phone Numbers for Millions of Trump Supporters

New York Times

Early in his presidential campaign, Donald J. Trump dismissed political data as an “overrated” tool. But after he won the Republican nomination, his team began building a database that offers a pipeline into the heart of the party’s base, a comprehensive list including the email addresses and cellphone numbers of as many as 20 million supporters.


The Scourge of ‘Diversity’

Wall Street Journal

A onetime liberal, Heather Mac Donald now believes identity politics threatens higher education and civilization itself.


Americans Still More Trusting of Local Than State Government

Gallup

The latest ratings, recorded in Gallup's annual Governance poll, conducted Sept. 4-12, mark a continuation of fairly high levels of trust for local governments -- a trend that has varied little over the past two decades.


EDITORIAL: Who’s Attacking Political Norms Now?

Wall Street Journal

Democrats target the ‘legitimacy’ of the Supreme Court.

AGRICULTURE/FOOD


Fresno County's first legal pot dispensary opens its doors​​ 

abc30

Have a Heart is located in downtown Coalinga. The business held its grand opening at 10 a.m. on Saturday. There was a long line of people who were waiting in line outside of the dispensary.


FARM Fest to be held Oct. 20

Madera Tribune

The annual Chowchilla Chamber of Commerce FARM Fest dinner celebration will be held Oct. 20 at the Chowchilla Fairgrounds. The reason behind the dinner is to celebrate the largest industry in Chowchilla, the Ag Industry.


That big orange orb on your porch? It might have come from this Manteca-area farm

Modesto Bee

The pumpkin harvest is in its bright orange glory at Perry & Sons, a grower near Manteca that is one of the state’s largest.​​ Perry​​ and other producers are busy with the Halloween market, the only time of year, apparently, that people place a hefty piece of produce on their porches.


How California’s new pot regulations put kids at risk

Modesto Bee

Two years ago, Californians voted overwhelmingly to decriminalize and regulate cannabis through Proposition 64. As a physician and one of the co-authors of the measure, it is critical to me to ensure that the new, legal system includes safeguards for our children, including the toughest child-resistant packaging requirements in the nation.


We Americans are fascinated with restaurant news

Bakersfield Californian

Two years ago, Mimi's Cafe was a highly visible fixture in the commercial strip of California Avenue immediately west of Highway 99. The well-loved (considering it's a chain) restaurant was a magnet for lunch traffic, owing to its appealing menu and prominent location


Marijuana is emerging among California’s vineyards, offering promise and concern

Washington Post

It is the fall harvest here in this fertile stretch of oaks and hills that produces some of the country’s best wine. This season, though, workers also are plucking the sticky, fragrant flowers of a new crop.​​ 


CRIMINAL JUSTICE / FIRE / PUBLIC SAFETY

Crime:


Are U.S., Philippines the only two countries with money bail?

PoliticFact

Democrat Gavin Newsom touted a new state law that ends monetary bail during the Oct. 8 California gubernatorial debate.

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Public Safety:


Alarm association steps up to help local police

Madera Tribune

Keeping Madera safe is a huge job and a local company is committed to helping. For 50 years Diamond Communications, Inc. based in Madera has provided burglar alarms and security services to clients throughout the state.


Huge earthquake simulator to get an upgrade

Sacramento Bee

The National Science Foundation gave the school $16.3 million to upgrade the center so it can more accurately simulate quakes, a complex phenomenon that in some years kills hundreds of thousands of people worldwide.


Fire:​​ 


30-acre fire in Redding forces neighborhood evacuations

Fresno Bee

A wildfire started in north Redding on Sunday, growing to more than 30 acres, forcing neighborhood evacuations and injuring at least one person and damaging at least one structure.​​ 


PG&E cutting power to 70,000 foothills households in move to reduce wildfire risks

Fresno Bee

Pacific Gas and Electric Co. said Sunday it began de-energizing power lines in at least nine counties along the Sierra foothills in Northern California, including communities above Sacramento, due to wildfire risk.

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‘Lifeboats’ Amid the World’s Wildfires

New York Times

Islands of greenery, called refugia, survive even the worst fires, sheltering species and renewing charred landscapes.


California Firefighters Make It Hard to Break Up With Russia

Bloomberg

An escalating war of words between Russia and the U.S. didn’t prevent a chunk of pensions that belong to Californian firefighters and police officers from finding its way into debt sold by President Vladimir Putin’s government.


ECONOMY / JOBS

Economy:


Saudis reject threats as stocks plunge after Trump comments

Sacramento Bee

Saudi Arabia is warning that will respond to threats with tough measures after President Donald Trump said the oil-rich kingdom deserves "severe punishment" if responsible for the disappearance and suspected murder of writer Jamal Khashoggi.

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U.S. Stocks Have Been an Anomaly in Global Markets. Not Anymore.​​ 

Wall Street Journal

The factors that helped U.S. stocks to solidly outperform other global equity markets this year faded sharply last week


Tariffs Hit Those Trump Wants to Help: U.S. Factories​​ 

Wall Street Journal

From bicycles to audio equipment, companies that brought production back to the U.S. say tariffs on Chinese imports are hurting them


How to Fix the Great American Growth Machine​​ 

Wall Street Journal

The U.S. economy is losing its historic capacity for ‘creative destruction.’ A few key reforms are essential to keep it on top.


EDITORIAL: Trump attacks the Fed, but the economic damage is his fault

San Francisco Chronicle

Interest rates are rising, and the stock market suffered a​​ two-day rout​​ last week. So what’s President Trump doing? Blaming the Fed, of course.

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Jobs:


Modesto company founded by legend in 1968 closing distribution center after being sold

Modesto Bee

Royal Robbins, the outdoor clothing company with roots in Modesto going back 50 years, is closing its Modesto distribution center after it was purchased by a company based in Sweden.


Sears files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, to close 142 more stores

Visalia Times-Delta

Sears Holdings, whose presence permeated American life for generations, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection early Monday in a last-ditch attempt to avoid entombment in the graveyard of once-great retailers that failed to adapt to the digital age.

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Tehachapi guard who lost baby after being denied lighter duty suing state prison system

Bakersfield Californian

A Tehachapi corrections officer who says she lost her child in part due to a policy prohibiting pregnant officers from getting paid leave or light duty hopes she can help create a better future for her fellow female officers.


Millions of Californians’ jobs could be affected by automation — a scenario the next governor has to address

Los Angeles Times

As technology transforms the nature of work in California, how do people most at risk find their way to new jobs?


Hundreds of workers have lead poisoning. Why hasn't Cal/OSHA stepped in?

Los Angeles Times

Lead poisoning is most often discussed as a hazard to children. But adults exposed to the neurotoxin suffer serious and humiliating consequences.​​ 


Uber, Lyft drivers fear getting booted from work

San Francisco Chronicle

In the easy-come, easy-go gig world, workers can be deactivated with the click of a button or, more often, the soulless calculations of an algorithm. Because drivers aren’t employees, they don’t get unemployment coverage.


My turn: #BlueCollarRevolution’s basic question

CALmatters

Toward the end of the confirmation hearings for Brett Kavanaugh, Sen. Dick Durbin, Democrat from Illinois, asked him: “What is the dirtiest, hardest job you’ve ever had?”


Inequality in Silicon Valley is getting worse: Wages are down for everyone but the top 10 percent

Recode

In America’s tech capital, the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer.

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New research on persistent poverty and joblessness in America

AEI

Many people in America​​ think​​ poverty is a constant state for those who experience it. Many also​​ think​​ most poor people hold steady jobs.​​ A new working paper​​ sheds light on the existence of persistent poverty and joblessness in America and suggests that both conditions are actually very uncommon.

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EDUCATION


K-12:


GVUSD appoints Wallace as superintendent

Madera Tribune

The Golden Valley Unified School District has appointed Rodney Wallace as its new superintendent. He currently is superintendent of El Tejon Unified School District, where he has provided successful leadership since 2014.


Fleak and Huerta weigh in on Area 4 in school board elections

Madera Tribune

Joetta Flores Fleak and Philip Huerta are vying with each other for the Area 4 seat on the Madera Unified School District Governing Board. In this article, both answer questions posed by Bill Coate, the Madera Tribune’s longtime education writer and historian.


BCSD to begin construction of new elementary school

Bakersfield Californian

East Bakersfield will be getting a new elementary school within the next few years.


County has recovered most of $19M stolen from school bank accounts

Bakersfield Californian

The office of the Kern County Treasurer-Tax Collector has recovered most of $19 million stolen from two local school bank accounts.


John Muir is ready for liftoff

Hanford Sentinel

The students at John Muir Middle School are not part of a simulation or game and they’re not pretending to be scientists, they are scientists.


More than 33,000 SJ students had perfect attendance in September

Stockton Record

As September was National Attendance Awareness Month, Beyond Our Gates held its fourth annual Every Day Counts Attendance challenge for hundreds of San Joaquin County elementary school students. Not only did students accept the challenge, they far exceeded expectations.


Higher Ed:


Fresno State wins national honor for Excellence in Diversity

Hanford Sentinel

California State University, Fresno received the 2018 Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine, one of the oldest and largest diversity-focused publications in higher education.


Apprenticeships:

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ENVIRONMENT/ ENERGY

Environment:


My turn: California should not reverse recycling gains

CALmatters

California has earned its reputation as a bold state, unafraid to introduce new programs. That’s what it has done with the California Carpet Stewardship Program, which focuses on increasing the diversion and recycling of carpet in the state.


Senate confirms climate skeptic to head DOJ environment office

TheHill

The Senate voted Thursday to confirm a climate change skeptic and former industry attorney to lead the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) environment division.

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Trump’s EPA scraps air pollution science review panels

Science Mag

Andrew Wheeler, the acting chief of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), yesterday fired a panel of scientific experts charged with assisting the agency's latest review of air quality standards for particulate matter. He also scrapped plans to form a similar advisory panel to aid in a recently launched assessment of the ground-level ozone limits.


Energy:


EDITORIAL: A carbon tax is a good idea — so long as it doesn't come with industry handouts​​ 

Los Angeles Times

A carbon tax is aimed at making the burning of fossil fuels — which releases carbon — more expensive.


HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES

Health:


Valley fever medication poses added risk for pregnant women

Bakersfield Californian

As with the general population, most pregnant women who contract valley fever overcome the disease with no symptoms and no need for treatment. But what worries epidemiologists is a handful of rare, severe cases, in which five babies were born with skeletal defects.

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Why Proposition 8 Is One Of The Most Contentious, And Confusing, Ballot Measures In Play

Capital Public Radio

Californians will vote in November on Proposition 8, which would regulate dialysis clinic spending. It’s a move that could either improve patient conditions or degrade them, depending on who you ask.


No Wonder It Works So Well: There May Be Viagra In That Herbal Supplement

NPR

They claim to help you sleep, make your hair grow, speed weight loss, improve your sex life and ward off the nasty cold going around the office. Though it's often impossible to tell if dietary supplements work, consumers generally feel certain they can't hurt. But they can.


Human Services:


Tulare hospital employees run through patient scenarios ahead of Monday reopening​​ 

abc30

A ribbon cutting will take place at Tulare Regional Medical Center on Monday morning, to celebrate the reopening of the hospital, which has been closed for nearly a year.


Valley Children's Hospital receives $12k donation from local motorcyclist group

abc30

Sunday afternoon the group known as Twice the Love presented the hospital with a $12,000 check to the Craycroft Cancer Center.


The county’s Physician of the Year is also getting a statewide award

Modesto Bee

Dr. Silvia Diego, the reigning Physician of the Year in Stanislaus County, is getting a statewide honor, too. She is receiving the Frederick K.M. Plessner Memorial Award, presented by the California Medical Association to someone “who best exemplifies the ethics and practice of a rural practitioner.”​​ 


Need a dentist but can’t afford it? How you can get free care in Modesto this month

Modesto Bee

Free dental care is coming back to Modesto Centre Plaza this month for people who can’t afford to see a dentist.


Light the Night at Modesto park supports those suffering infant loss

Modesto Bee

Doctors Medical Center in Modesto hosted the “Light the Night” memorial and balloon release art La Loma Park to provide support, education and awareness for those suffering or may know someone who has suffered pregnancy or infant loss.


The president wrote a column on Medicare for All, and fact-checkers' red pens nearly ran out of ink

NPR

Would it be expensive? According to a study Trump cited, yes — but also lessexpensive than what we pay now. He went on to make points about Medicare's solvency and coverage for pre-existing conditions — both areas that have faced greater risk on his watch, NPR's Scott Horsley found.

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Last Year’s Failed Effort in the House to Cut Federal Support for Medicaid Threatened Health Coverage for Millions of Californians

California Budget & Policy Center

In May 2017, the US House of Representatives narrowly approved — by a 217-to-213 vote — the American Health Care Act of 2017 (AHCA). This bill, which did not advance beyond the House, would have reversed California’s progress in extending health coverage to millions of people under the framework of the federal Affordable Care Act (ACA), which President Obama signed into law in 2010.​​ 


For millions of Americans every year, a trip to intensive care starts a downward spiral toward dementia

NPR

Each year, 5.7 million in the U.S. spend time in the ICU; doctors say​​ as many as half develop potentially serious problems with their memory and thinking processes. For many the problems are permanent. To combat the effect, hospitals are adopting a philosophy of limiting patients' sedation and stepping up physical activity​​ to stop delirium from setting in.


Easy DNA Identifications With Genealogy Databases Raise Privacy Concerns

NPR

Podcast.


Some Apps May Help Curb Insomnia, Others Just Put You To Sleep

NPR

Podcast.


You’d Think Samuel Beckett Was In Charge of Our Health Care

Roll Call

Finding bipartisan agreement in Congress on a path forward for the Affordable Care Act has been like waiting for Godot. Polls tracking Americans’ views have consistently shown an evenly divided public. No single public policy issue captures the country’s polarization better than the debate that has surrounded this law.​​ 


One Way to Fix the Child Care Crisis? Look to the Tax Law

Roll Call

America faces a mounting child care crisis. Too many families lack access to safe, affordable and high-quality care for their infants and toddlers. But a small but important provision in last year’s tax law, designed to spur investment in under-resourced communities, could provide an unlikely solution.​​ 


IMMIGRATION

Republican senator slams family separation at US border: It 'simply is un-American'

abc30

Sen. Flake responded to reports that the administration may resume some form of family separations at the border.

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Immigrants face hurdles to prove abuse by US agents

Sacramento Bee

Advocates say immigrants in detention who report misconduct by Border Patrol agents face hurdles that make their complaints difficult to substantiate.


An ICE Memo Lays Out The Differences Between Trump And Obama On Immigration Enforcement

BuzzFeed

Among the instructions: Attorneys were told they no longer had to check the inbox where immigration lawyers emailed requests for deportation relief.


LAND USE/HOUSING


Land Use:


Fresno council member expediting demolition of abandoned structures

abc30

A Fresno city councilmember is trying to boot the biggest eyesores from his district. Luis Chavez kicked off Operation Blight Removal Friday, aiming to expedite the demolition of problem properties in Southeast Fresno.


Construction begins on Initiative Foods new building two years after massive fire

abc30

The President of a Sanger company is fulfilling a promise made when Initiative Foods went up in flames two years ago. The makers of organic and conventional baby food will soon have a new facility not far from the old site.


New Madera County housing development brings new coffee bar for the community

abc30

New housing development, Tesoro Viejo, in Madera County is just about a week away from opening, but it already has its first new business.


Group committed to revitalizing downtown Merced

abc30

The parking lot on Canal and 16th Street in downtown Merced is home to the Farmers Market. It looks like any other parking lot, but the group Committed to Downtown is hoping to make it something special.


Sierra Vista Mall welcoming new businesses

Clovis RoundUp

Japanese restaurant Sakura Chaya and Teazer World Tea Market are both set to open shop on the east end near the community park area.


Turlock feeling bearish about new restaurants, developments on Monte Vista corridor

Modesto Bee

Sure it’s fall, but things are springing up all over in Turlock’s popular Monte Vista Avenue shopping corridor. The bustling retail area will soon have three brand-new-to-Turlock chain restaurants. And work continues on the massive Ten Pin Fun Center.


Linden residents score new win in fight against Dollar General​​ 

Stockton Record

Last week, mobilized residents from Linden brushed aside the ongoing efforts of a real-estate development company looking to bring a Dollar General store to their town east of Stockton.


Here's the pitch for sustaining the soccer park

Bakersfield Californian

The ball is soaring in the air, spinning toward the net and the question is, will Bakersfield score or come up with a big fat zero?​​ 


Housing:


A new house for $286,000? With sweat equity and creative financing, a nonprofit developer aids veterans

Los Angeles Times

Homes 4 Families, a nonprofit that combines low-interest loans from the state Department of Veterans Affairs with real estate, local government and fundraising savvy builds what it calls enriched veteran neighborhoods.


Prop. 5 offers tax breaks for older home buyers, but could shortchange schools and cities

Los Angeles Times

The California Assn. of Realtors is sponsoring Proposition 5, a statewide initiative that would provide property tax benefits for homeowners 55 and older as well as the severely disabled and natural disaster victims if they move to a new home.


Four measures would do little about housing crisis

CALmatters

Few would doubt that California’s single most important economic/political issue is a growing housing shortage which distresses millions of Californians and is the largest single factor in the state’s highest-in-the-nation poverty rate.


Wall Street Is Spending Big To Protect Its Ability To Jack Up Rents In California

The Intercept

For some on Wall Street, the financial crash of 2008 represented a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Homeowners who’d been walloped by the very crisis Wall Street had created were struggling to pay their mortgages, so financiers swooped in and bought up foreclosed homes, knowing the assets would eventually rise in price again.  


Housing Market Positioned for a Gentler Slowdown Than in 2007​​ 

Wall Street Journal

As frenzied as the market has felt in recent years, it never came close to the level of the last boom by most measures


EDITORIAL: Want to get homeless people's dirty belongings off the sidewalks? Put them in apartments

Los Angeles Times

As homeless encampments have sprawled across sidewalks throughout the city of Los Angeles, officials have struggled to balance the needs of the people who live in them with the needs of the other city residents who are alternately annoyed and discomfited by their presence.


PUBLIC FINANCES


The economy is booming. Why do so many Central Valley cities want to raise taxes?

Fresno Bee

More than a dozen cities in California’s Central Valley are asking voters to raise the sales tax as cities tackle increasing populations, crime and aging and roads and other infrastructure.


Treasurer-tax collector: Property tax bills due

Madera Tribune

More than 56,000 tax bills have been mailed in Madera County, representing over $178 million in property taxes, and the various bond charges and direct charges are included on the tax bills.


Curtailing California's inheritance tax break would raise billions of dollars in property taxes, new analysis finds

Los Angeles Times

Eliminating California’s inheritance tax break for vacation houses and rental property and restricting its use for primary homes could raise $2 billion a year in property taxes over time,​​ according to a new analysis.


TRANSPORTATION


Arrest or a $1,000 max. fine for bad scooter behavior? Some scoff at proposed city rule

Fresno Bee

The Fresno City Council is seeking input from Fresno State and other college campuses before it passes a “shared mobility” ordinance that will regulate transportation modes such as scooters operated by companies Bird and Lime.

See Also:


Time to hit the pause button on high-speed rail, some California leaders say

Modesto Bee

Jerry Brown did not invent the idea of a​​ high-speed rail system​​ to connect Northern and Southern California.

See also:


Road projects could be delayed, canceled if gas tax repealed, Caltrans says

abc30

There's a dire warning from the state of California to just about anyone who owns a car: major road repair and improvement projects could be in jeopardy if voters repeal California's gas tax in November.


Public invited to review High-Speed Rail's "final supplemental" EIR

Bakersfield Californian

The board of directors of the California High-Speed Rail Authority is coming to Bakersfield on Tuesday to invite public comment on what it calls the final supplemental environmental impact report for the Fresno-to-Bakersfield project section.


Calls for new regulation mount as limo crash victims mourned

Sacramento Bee

U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer is calling on federal regulators to make recommendations for safety standards on stretch limousines.


WATER


Emergency well repair on Hanford Council agenda

Hanford Sentinel

The Hanford City Council will meet Tuesday to discuss the emergency repair of one of the city’s wells.


Proposition 3: Smart water plan or costly gift to farmers?

Mercury News

California voters may be feeling a sense of deja vu when they consider Proposition 3, an $8.9 billion water bond on the November ballot to fund a long list of water projects — from​​ repairing Oroville Dam to restoring Bay Area wetlands to helping Central Valley farmers recharge depleted groundwater.


As states near deal on Colorado River shortage, California looks at water cuts of as much as 8 percent

Sacramento Bee

After years of stop-and-go talks, California and two other states that take water from the lower Colorado River are nearing an agreement on how to share delivery cuts if a formal shortage is declared on the drought-plagued waterway.


Plan to revive rivers pits SF against California

San Francisco Chronicle

The rivers that once poured from the Sierra Nevada, thick with snowmelt and salmon, now languish amid relentless pumping, sometimes shriveling to a trickle and sparking a crisis for fish, wildlife and the people who rely on a healthy California delta.


“Xtra”


How much is this pig worth? Enough to fly local veterans to D.C.

Fresno Bee

Veterans in the Central Valley have a 255-pound hog to thank when they board a plane on their next trip to see war memorials in Washington, D.C.

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‘Hidden cash’ coming to Fresno again? Scavenger hunt for money expected to begin soon

Fresno Bee

Hidden Cash appears to be coming back to Fresno. When envelopes of cash are placed around the city in popular scavenger hunt that sends many in a frenzy. The the last time “hidden cash” was held in Fresno, nearly $1,900 was hidden in various locations at Woodward Park in 2014.


Firefighters creating memories for children with disabilities at Big Fresno Fair​​ 

abc30

Fresno Firefighters have been helping to create fun memories at the Big Fresno Fair for children with disabilities.


Valley Focus: What's New at The Civil War Revisited

abc30

Put down your iPad and step back into the 1860's!


Local organization hosts supportive services event for Valley veterans

abc30

The Mid Cal Veterans Engagement Board hosted a community outreach for Central Valley Veterans in Downtown Fresno.


Tulare's Relay For Life nets $176,000, more than all Valley others

Visalia Times-Delta

More than 10,000 people participates in the 24-hour Relay For Life event, organized to show support for cancer patients. This is the 18th year Tulare has hosted the fundraising walk.


BC's veterans resource center named for longtime veterans advocate Vernon Valenzuela

Bakersfield Californian

His life ended in 2012, but friends and admirers say Vernon Valenzuela's legacy lives on.​​ 


Good Neighbor Festival focuses on community health

Bakersfield Californian

The city of Bakersfield held its Good Neighbor Festival at Martin Luther King Jr. Park on Saturday.


Tyler Schilhabel overcomes disability to excel in life and as a football coach

Bakersfield Californian

"Quit walking," Tyler Schilhabel barked at one of his players in between drills during a recent football practice.