September 13, 2018

13Sep

POLICY & POLITICS


Valley:


‘We expect to win out here.’ Newsom campaigns for TJ Cox, Hurtado in Fresno

Fresno Bee

Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, the Democratic candidate for governor, was in Fresno Wednesday to campaign for fellow Democrats​​ TJ Cox​​ and​​ Melissa Hurtado, who are running for Congress and state senate.

See Also:


Can Janz beat Nunes? Few think so, but the Democrat says ‘Let’s try something new’

Fresno Bee

As Nunes dominated national headlines with memos and secret trips to the White House, Janz rode a wave of publicity and fundraising cash that placed the Visalia-born son of immigrants among the most visible House challengers in the country. And yet, Nunes’ victory seems almost a foregone conclusion.

See also:


Who you calling a carpetbagger? California House candidates trade accusations

Sierra Star

Democratic congressional candidate Jessica Morse hadn’t even advanced to the general election when her campaign began​​ airing an ad​​ hitting Republican Rep. Tom McClintock on his residency.


Valadao Receives ‘Hero of Main Street’ Award

Hanford Sentinel

The National Retail Federation (NRF) announced that  Congressman David G. Valadao, R-Hanford, has been recognized as a “Hero of Main Street” for supporting public policy priorities important to millions of small businesses of the retail industry.


Modesto Councilwoman Kenoyer announces she has lung cancer

The Modesto Bee

Modesto City Councilwoman Jenny Kenoyer has announced that she has been diagnosed with lung cancer.


JPMorgan Chase taps Swearengin for advisory group

The Business Journal

Former Fresno Mayor Ashley Swearengin has been selected to sit on an external advisory council for a JPMorgan Chase initiative that aims to generate inclusive growth and economic opportunities in cities worldwide.


Arnold Schwarzenegger says he’s ‘pumped’ for launch of Fresno State project

The Collegian

“I’m pumped for (Boren),” Schwarzenegger tweeted Tuesday to his 4.2 million followers.

Schwarzenegger highlighted the institute’s efforts to “improve media literacy and fight fake news” under the direction of Boren, who is the inaugural director of the institute and a media writing professor.

See also:


State:


GOP hopeful has Trump’s ‘enemy of the people’ lines down – but not his endorsement

Fresno Bee

California Republican candidate for Congress Tim Donnelly has used President Donald Trump’s “enemy of the people” rhetoric in a tweet that accused the media of creating a hostile atmosphere.


Gavin Newsom’s Misleading Claim On John Cox ‘Parroting’ Trump On Family Separations

Capital Public Radio

PolitiFact California examines Gavin Newsom's mostly false claim that John Cox "parroted" President Trump on his administration's controversial family separation policy.

See Also:​​ 


If John Cox and Gavin Newsom can't even organize a debate, how can we trust them to run California?

Los Angeles Times

What a couple of babies. Cox and Newsom should be happy to meet in any and all forums to engage with each other and show voters the differences between them.

See Also:​​ 


Why is it so hard to find out who governs California?

San Francisco Chronicle

There’s no website where you can enter your address and see all your elected officials, soup to nuts, from president to Assembly member to water ofr school board member. It’s hard to believe that such a website doesn’t exist in 2018.


New Census Figures Show That California Has 7.5 Million Residents Living in Poverty — More Than Any Other State

California Budget & Policy Center

The new data show that about 7.5 million Californians — nearly 1 in 5 state residents (19.0%) — do not have enough resources to cover the costs of basic necessities. High housing costs are a key reason for California’s high SPM poverty rate, underscoring the need to increase access to affordable housing within the state.

See Also:​​ 


Cole Harris’ campaign may be over, but his consultants aren’t finished with him

CALmatters

Republican Cole Harris, a first-time candidate who spent $2.2 million of his own money only to lose his run for lieutenant governor in June, is learning that politics is a tough business.


Third party threat? In survey, California political establishment doesn’t see it coming

CALmatters

State Democratic registration has flatlined, Republicans are sinking, and the share of California voters registering no party affiliation is at an all time high. Pundits and politicians speak of the “swamp,” use “politics” as a term of abuse and inveigh against the hacks and the insiders who make up the political establishment.


Innovation – and Resiliency – are Alive and Well in California’s 58 Counties

PublicCEO

California County leaders are continuously adapting to changing conditions, including economic downturns, legislative decisions made at the state level and even natural disasters.


Ninth Circuit vs. Free Speech

The Wall Street Journal

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals struck again Tuesday, handing California’s Attorney General the power to intimidate political donors.


California tells NRA to stop selling insurance policy

APnews

California has ordered the National Rifle Association to stop selling an insurance policy that covers legal costs for injury or damage from legally using a gun.


Federal:


President Donald Trump OKs sanctions for foreigners who meddle in US elections

ABC30

President Donald Trump is signing an executive order authorizing sanctions against foreigners who meddle in U.S. elections.

See Also:​​ 


One-punch voting hits independent and third-party candidates hard

Los Angeles Times

One-punch voting is a time-saving tool for partisans but not for those of us who select candidates on a case-by-case basis.


The decennial Census has big political and scientific problems—again

Brookings

Robert Shapiro argues that the Trump administration’s efforts to undermine the 2020 Census through funding cuts and the inclusion of a citizenship question have presented the Census Bureau with a familiar dilemma between statistical science and the demands of politicians.


Democrats Fume Over Transfer of FEMA Money to ICE Before Hurricanes

RollCall

On the eve of Hurricane Florence hitting the U.S. coast, Democratic lawmakers expressed outrage that the Homeland Security Department transferred nearly $10 million from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to Immigration and Customs Enforcement in a reprogramming move this summer.


Midterms Show We’re Not Any Closer to a Post-Racial America

RollCall

Remember the time when​​ Trent Lott​​ got in a heap of trouble for remembering the time?


Democrats Weighing Earmark Revival if They Take Back House

RollCall

At the end of a speech Wednesday outlining what he billed as congressional Democrats’ vision to renew the county’s faith in government, House Minority Whip Steny H. Hoyer called for lawmakers to bring back earmarks.


Senate Confirms Charles Rettig as IRS Commissioner

WSJ

The Senate confirmed Charles Rettig to run the Internal Revenue Service, giving the veteran California tax lawyer one of the toughest, most thankless jobs in the federal government.


Left risks backlash in Kavanaugh fight

TheHill

Separately, Democrats opposed to Kavanaugh's nomination have come under criticism for taking remarks made by the nominee out of context. Republicans ripped former Democratic presidential nominee​​ Hillary Clinton​​ on Wednesday, arguing she was guilty of the same misinformation related to the judge that had earned Sen.​​ Kamala Harris​​ (D-Calif.) "four Pinocchios" from The Washington Post fact checker.

See Also:​​ 


Voters Displeased With Both Parties Signal a Move Toward Democrats

WSJ

America’s partisan divide is so wide that voters with an unfavorable view of both parties account for only about one voter in 10.

See also:


Ryan blasts 'identity politics,' stresses importance of institutions

TheHill

Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) on Wednesday lamented the “deinstitutionalization of society” taking place in the world, praising institutions at large amid President Trump's attacks on the Justice Department, media and global organizations.

See Also:​​ 


U.S. Proposing New Round of Trade Talks With China

WSJ

The Trump administration is giving Beijing another chance to try to stave off new tariffs on $200 billion in Chinese exports, asking top officials for a fresh round of trade talks later this month, people briefed on the matter said.


Other:


Valley residents responding to Hurricane Florence

ABC30

As Hurricane Florence moves closer toward the Carolina coast, residents are bracing for its impact. More than 2,000 miles away, seven valley residents from Fresno and Bakersfield are flying to be their boots on the ground.

See Also:​​ 


Do social media threaten democracy?

The Economist

The use of social media does not cause division so much as amplify it. The culture wars have split voters by identity rather than class. Nor are social media alone in their power to polarise—just look at cable TV and talk radio.​​ 


Koch group loses donor secrecy fight at appeals court

POLITICO

A nonprofit group founded by conservative political megadonors Charles and David Koch must disclose its largest givers to law enforcement authorities in California, a federal appeals court ruled Tuesday.


OPINION: The Republican Approach to Voter Fraud: Lie

The New York Times

Rampant voter fraud​​ does not exist.​​ There is no epidemic of illegal voting. But the lie is so mesmerizing, it takes off like a wildfire, so that the irrational fear that someone might vote who shouldn’t means that hundreds of thousands who should can’t cast ballots, in part because of the increase in voter ID laws across the country in recent years.​​ 


AGRICULTURE/FOOD


‘Things got a little rowdy.’ Sun-Maid plant reopens amid labor strife

Fresno Bee

Several dozen temporary workers and non-union employees were put in place Wednesday to reopen the strike-plagued Sun-Maid plant in Kingsburg.​​ 


Five years later, Gerawan workers may finally have votes counted in disputed election

Fresno Bee

After five years of waiting, workers who voted to get rid of the​​ United Farm Workers​​ union from​​ Gerawan Farming​​ may finally find out the results of their disputed election.​​ 


Fresno’s half-baked marijuana plan makes perfect sense … for 1998

Fresno Bee

They say the wheels of progress turn slowly. In Fresno, especially when it comes to marijuana, they might as well spin in reverse.


Clovis company helping farmers around the world

ABC30

Clovis, California may be a long ways away from Brazil, but technology software company Agrian is helping monitor crops and land from afar. The business was sparked out of a common problem.


FDA crackdowns on businesses selling e-cigarettes to minors

ABC30

The Food and Drug Administration conducted its most substantial enforcement effort yet this summer to keep e-cigarettes out of the hands of minors.

See Also:


Will Donald Trump's trade wars raise grocery prices?

Visalia Times-Delta

Donald Trump has bet his presidency that his trade wars won't affect U.S. consumers as he seeks to rewrite – or end – international trade deals.


California wine month

Modesto Bee

It’s time to celebrate! September is California Wine Month. California makes a significant contribution to the state and the nation by providing quality jobs and bolstering the economy through hospitality, taxes and tourism.


About those 2 million households losing SNAP benefits

AEI

The House Farm Bill would result in some existing SNAP households no longer being eligible because they have more than $7,000 in assets ($12,000 if elderly), they have income above 130 percent of the federal poverty level, or they have a high-value car.​​ 


CRIMINAL JUSTICE / FIRE / PUBLIC SAFETY

Crime:


Six dead — five victims and suspect — in southeast Bakersfield shooting

Bakersfield Californian

"This is highly unusual to have six people shot and dead in one incident," Youngblood said. Asked if this was a mass shooting, the sheriff said "absolutely."


She Escaped Domestic Abuse And Is Seeking Asylum. Now A Policy Change Makes Her Future Uncertain

VPR

Ana is among the hundreds in the San Joaquin Valley and thousands in the nation who are in limbo after Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced gang and domestic violence doesn't qualify as a valid asylum claim in the United States anymore.


Public Safety:


Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux announces change in leadership

Visalia Times-Delta

There is new leadership at Tulare County Sheriff's Department, but the faces are familiar. Sheriff Mike Boudreaux announced his promotion of Capt. Cheri Lehner to assistant sheriff and Assistant Sheriff Tom Sigley to undersheriff.


Hanford PD starts drone program

Hanford Sentinel

The Hanford Police Department has a new program that’s giving officers a vantage point they’ve never had before.


Fire:​​ 


Snell Fire in Napa County’s reaches 75 percent containment, Cal Fire says

Sacramento Bee

The Snell Fire, burning northwest of Lake Berryessa in Napa County, is 75 percent contained, Cal Fire said.


Downed PG&E power line blamed for sparking Irving Fire in Marin County

San Francisco Chronicle

A fallen Pacific Gas & Electric Co. power line caused the 152-acre Irving Fire that ignited in Samuel P. Taylor State Park west of Fairfax on Monday night, Marin County officials said Wednesday.


ECONOMY / JOBS

Economy:


California’s poverty rate is still the highest in the nation, despite state efforts

Sacramento Bee

Newly released federal estimates show California’s poverty rate remained the highest in the nation, despite a modest fall, and the state’s falling uninsured rate slowed for the first time since before Medicaid expansion.

See also:


The economic data don't show it, but many U.S. firms at home and in China are feeling the pain of tariffs

Los Angeles Times

Manufacturers, farms, construction firms, retailers and more are seeing supply disruptions and putting new projects and investments on ice.

See Also:


A growing mortality gap is letting the rich get richer from Social Security

Los Angeles Times

One of the few bulwarks in the world against the increasing inequality separating rich and poor has been Social Security.


What Millions of Retiring Small Business Owners Could Mean for Cities

PublicCEO

Shutting down is the first option, even in cases where the business might be doing well. The consequences can include the disappearance of the lifeblood of any neighborhood or the soul of any street and a significant loss of jobs. Such changes would most negatively affect those who earn and own the least.​​ 


U.S. Cities Will Be Able to Compete for Funding From JPMorgan

WSJ

JPMorgan Chase​​ & Co. plans to unveil a $500 million project Wednesday geared toward boosting economic growth in as many as 30 cities across the U.S.


U.S. Businesses Ramp Up Lobbying Against Trump’s Tariffs

WSJ

From California apple growers to Maine lobstermen, businesses are joining forces to try to persuade President Trump that tariffs are hurting U.S. industries.


Jobs:


As job openings reach unprecedented levels, so does number of people quitting

ABC30

Americans are increasingly taking advantage of a tight labor market to find new, often higher-paying jobs.


Report: With OSH closing California losing 1,500

ABC30

A new report shows that Lowe's will eliminate more than 1,500 jobs in California when Orchard Supply Hardware stores eventually close their doors.


Faraday Future announces mass hiring

Hanford Sentinel

Faraday Future officials welcomed newly hired employees Tuesday at its Hanford factory and have announced even more hiring efforts.


Barbers worried about California Supreme Court ruling

Bakersfield Now

Most barbers, and other business people such as tattoo artists and personal trainers, aren't employees. Most barbers are actually contractors who rent the space they use in the shop to cut hair. They also pay a share of the utility bills.

See Also:​​ 


You can get a job at Caltrans in two days. It still has 1,100 openings.

Sacramento Bee

Motivated by a wave of retirements and an urgency to fill new positions created by the state’s gas tax increase, Caltrans devised a bureaucracy-defying human resources program that let it bring on hundreds of new employees at a time during hiring events.


California state engineers say yes to 8.5 percent raise, other perks

Sacramento Bee

The union that represents California state engineers announced on Wednesday that its members ratified a two-year contract that nets them a cumulative​​ 8.5 percent general wage increase​​ and delivers a number of other perks.

See also:​​ 


Climate investments support jobs across California

Capitol Weekly

At this week’s Global Climate Action Summit, the focus is not on countries’ efforts to curb climate change, but on how cities, states, businesses, nonprofits and other non-national actors are building a low-carbon future from the bottom up.


EDUCATION


K-12:


Orosi High tied for the highest graduation rate in all of Tulare County

ABC30

Orosi High is celebrating its 98.7 percent graduation rate. It's tied for the highest in the entire county, and it is significantly higher than the state average of 80-percent.


Charter Schools, Teacher Raises Draw Debate From Finalists For California’s Top Educator

Capital Public Radio

The two finalists for California’s state schools chief faced off in a debate Tuesday night in a race that pits teachers unions against charter school advocates.


Sleepy kids, logistics at odds as legislation weighed

San Francisco Chronicle

Middle and high school students do better when they get an extra hour or so of sleep, according to research and, many parents would say, common sense.


One-third of American schools still contain asbestos. That's unconscionable

Los Angeles Times

As we send our kids back to school, we do our best to prepare them for the new academic year. We buy their school supplies, make their lunches, sort out secure routes to and from campus and attempt to curb bullying. But there is a truly lethal threat that we scarcely discuss: asbestos poisoning.


Two education bills do the right things

CALmatters

SB 328, carried by Sen. Anthony Portantino, a Democrat from La Canada Flintridge, requires, with few exceptions, middle and high schools to begin classes no earlier than 8:30 a.m.​​ SB 1406​​ by Sen. Jerry Hill, a San Mateo Democrat, extends by three years a pilot program that has allowed 15 community colleges to offer four-year baccalaureate degrees to students in a few restricted fields.


Charter Schools, Teacher Raises Draw Debate From Finalists For California’s Top Educator

Capital Public Radio

Former charter school executive Marshall Tuck and Assemblyman Tony Thurmond finished neck-and-neck in the June primary for state superintendent of public instruction.

Both are Democrats and they agree on a lot, from free preschool for all children to fixing the teacher shortage. But they disagree on a heavily contested issue: the growth of charter schools in California.


Higher Ed:


Video: Remedial Education Reform in Community College

PPIC
AB 705 requires community colleges to maximize the probability of their students completing transfer-level courses in the one-year time frame. To comply with AB 705, colleges are revising the way they assess student readiness for college-level courses—giving priority to high school GPA rather than tests.​​ 

Apprenticeships:

----


ENVIRONMENT/ ENERGY

Environment:


EPA change to Obama-era rule on methane leaks could lead to more greenhouse gases

ABC30

The Environmental Protection Agency has announced another proposed change to Obama-era rules intended to combat​​ climate change, this time to how the oil and natural gas industry is required to monitor and prevent leaks of methane gas during drilling.


It's time for a cool change, Bakersfield

Bakersfield Californian

Can it be true? Bakersfield's high temperature is expected to reach just 84 degrees Thursday. Yes, you read that right. Eighty. Four.


Global Climate Action Summit Begins This Week In San Francisco

Capital Public Radio

More than 4,500 scientists, researchers and activists are gathering in San Francisco this week for the at the​​ Global Climate Action Summit.

See Also:


It's time for a cool change, Bakersfield

The Bakersfield Californian​​ 

Bakersfield's high temperature is expected to reach just 84 degrees Thursday. Yes, you read that right. Eighty. Four.


Who Owns the Risk for Earthquakes?

The New York Times

“Our message is that this is the largest uninsured catastrophe risk currently in the financial markets,” Mr. Lehmann said in an interview. “Among those who are holding the bag is the U.S. Treasury.”

See Also:​​ 


Energy:


‘It’s literally drill, baby, drill’: Did Jerry Brown’s climate crusade gave Big Oil a pass?

Sacramento Bee

Gov. Jerry Brown made the climate change the signature issue of his final terms in office. But critics argue he left a major hole in his environmental record by failing to take on California’s oil industry.

See also:


Fracking made the U.S. a major oil producer, but not energy independent

Marketplace

Bethany McLean explores fracking's nuanced success, but also cautions that this energy revolution is not the country's golden ticket to energy independence.


HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES

Health:


Fresno County Department of Health offering free flu vaccines

ABC30

This weekend the Fresno County Department of Public Health will be offering free flu vaccines.


Pancreatic Cancer From Mouse To Man: Medicine's Next Big Thing?

ABC30

Pancreatic cancer causes the deaths of 95 percent of the people diagnosed with it. Chemotherapy helps but is only able to extend survival for a few months. Now, researchers have a new tool allowing them to much more accurately study how the cancer develops.


Wash your hands... or else

Bakersfield Californian

To help explain the risk of germs and bacteria being ever present in the lives of Kern County residents, Kern Public Health staged a bacterial show-and-tell for local reporters Wednesday, displaying bacterial samples taken from items brought in by the reporters as well as some surfaces from within the Public Health office.


Chronic Loneliness Is A Major Cause Of Suicide For Seniors, Especially in Rural California

Capital Public Radio

It’s a health issue that presents a threat of early death equal to obesity. One-third of all people who took their lives in Amador County between 2010 and 2017 were over age 60.


FDA Chief Considers Ban of All Flavored E-Cigarettes

WSJ

Calling a surge in teen use of e-cigarettes an epidemic, the head of the Food and Drug Administration said he is considering pulling all flavored e-cigarettes from the U.S. market.

See Also:


Dementia, Cognitive Decline Associated With Air Pollution

VPR

It was only a few weeks ago that wildfires drove particle pollution to dangerously high levels in many parts of the San Joaquin Valley and mountain areas, and it could happen again before wildfire season is over.​​ 


Human Services:


How long will you live? Your address may offer a hint

Fresno Bee

People in many neighborhoods in central and south Fresno tend to have shorter life expectancies than residents in northeast and northwest Fresno.

See also:


Madera Community Hospital forms a new care program

Madera Tribune

With support from the Madera Ministerial Association and other faith leaders, Madera Community Hospital has formed a Volunteer Chaplaincy Care Program.


Adventist Health recognized for health achievement

Hanford Sentinel

Adventist Health in the Central Valley is being recognized by the American Heart Association with a gold level recognition for taking significant steps to build a culture of health in the workplace.


Hospitals Comply With Violence Prevention Rules, But Rules Only Go So Far

VPR

Over the last few weeks, we’ve been looking at how those who work in health care are at increased risk of workplace violence.​​ 


Poverty Rate at 12.3 Percent, Down From 14.8 in 2014

United States Census Bureau

The poverty rate dropped consistently every year from 2015 to 2017 — a total of 2.5 percentage points — to a rate of 12.3 percent in 2017.


Most Uninsured Were Working-Age Adults

United States Census Bureau

The two largest groups in that age range are 26- to 34-year-olds and 35- to 44-year-olds. About 1 in 4 uninsured people were 26 to 34 years old, and about 1 in 5 people ages 34 to 44.

EDITORIAL: Put patients ahead of union priorities

Modesto Bee

Proposition 8, which would limit revenues at outpatient dialysis clinics in California, is a power play by SEIU.


EDITORIAL: Gov. Brown, don't let the feds scare you into vetoing safe injection site

Los Angeles Times

Last month, the Legislature​​ gave its blessing to a proposal​​ under which San Francisco would be allowed to open one safe injection facility on a three-year trial basis. It was a scaled-back version of a controversial bill that gave the same permission to seven other counties, including Los Angeles.


IMMIGRATION


VIDEO: Jim Costa discusses immigration reform, detention facilities and the wall

The Fresno Bee

Rep. Jim Costa, D-Fresno, talks about immigration reform, a recent visit to a detention facility on the border, and the wall, during an editorial board meeting at the Fresno Bee


‘Posting information like this is irresponsible.’ ICE says raid fliers are fake

Fresno Bee

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials are dismissing a flier that’s been appearing in neighborhoods — making claims about supposed raids by the agency — as a fake.​​ 

In response to Trump policies, some Californians open their homes to asylum seekers

Los Angeles Times

Since June, nearly 800 people around the country have​​ pledged to offer housing​​ through California-based Freedom for Immigrants. The organization has raised more than $100,000 this year to bond 50 immigrants out of detention.


Arrests of migrant families rose 38 percent in August in what Trump officials call a ‘crisis’ at the U.S.-Mexico border

The Washington Post

Border Patrol agents apprehended nearly 13,000 members of “family units” last month, the latest​​ data shows, the highest August total ever recorded. The increase followed President Trump’s decision to back off the provision of his “zero tolerance” crackdown that separated children from parents in an attempt to deter illegal migration.


LAND USE/HOUSING


Land Use:


Fresno has taken back one park already from developer. Is Granite Park next?

Fresno Bee

Nearly three years ago, the city of Fresno took a bold step in fixing its unfortunate past with Granite Park by signing an agreement to turn over control of the sports park to developers Terance Frazier and TJ Cox.


Housing:


Tiny cottage homes coming to the backyards and alleyways of Old Town Clovis

ABC30

Developers continue to build new neighborhoods with large family homes. But in Old Town Clovis, the trend is moving towards tiny houses. The Cottage Home Project in Old Town Clovis has generated a great deal of interest, proving bigger isn't always better.


Affordable housing a growing problem in San Joaquin County

Stockton Record

The California Housing Partnership Corporation and the California Coalition For Rural Housing recently released a​​ study on the housing problem​​ in San Joaquin County.


Proposition 10: Should California expand rent control?

CALmatters

Almost half of California’s population–17 million people–are renters. Many of them spend more than half of their income on rent, plunging many full-time workers into poverty.


EDITORIAL: Proposition 5: Good for homeowners over 55 and the housing market

San Diego Union-Tribune

Proposition 5​​ would allow homeowners over 55 or who are severely disabled to transfer Proposition 13 property tax protections to newly bought homes anywhere in the state.


PUBLIC FINANCES


Tulare County Board of Supervisors approve $1.26 billion budget

Visalia Times-Delta

The financial future of Tulare County looks bright, according to county officials.  Tulare County Board of Supervisors approved a $1.26 billion budget for the upcoming fiscal year. County officials said the budget is "balanced and sustainable."​​ 


Senate approves 1st spending bill to avert partial shutdown

Sacramento Bee

As a potentially catastrophic hurricane heads for the Carolinas, Congress is moving to avert a legislative disaster that could lead to a partial government shutdown just weeks before November's elections.

See Also:


GOP's latest tax-cut bill won't pass, but it could roil midterms in high-tax states like California

Los Angeles Times

Congressional Republicans are launching another tax-cut push this week, but it’s more about your November election ballot than your 1040 form.

See Also:


EDITORIAL: Trump’s fake crisis distracts from real ones

San Francisco Chronicle

In the teeth of a “monster” storm, the revelation that the federal government diverted money from handling life-and-death emergencies to jailing harmless immigrants speaks to a political disaster unfolding across months and years.


TRANSPORTATION


VIDEO: Fresno's Midtown Trail has yet to be constructed

The Fresno Bee

Part of the Fresno Midtown Trail bike path was intended for Shields near First Street but so far, it's still dirt and gravel.


PARK(ing) Day to find a space in Stockton

Stockton Record

For the second consecutive year, the Stockton community will join artists, activists and citizens from around the world in marking international PARK(ing) Day, which aims to provide a glimpse of what’s possible in a public space if there is not a car and a meter taking up room.


More I-5 concrete problems found, more night-time emergency closures planned

Sacramento Bee

At least 70 concrete slabs on Interstate 5 in Sacramento between Richards Boulevard and Pocket Road are at risk of failure and in need of repair or replacement, Caltrans officials said.


Driverless Hype Collides With Merciless Reality

WSJ

Mercedes-Benz unveiled its dream of a fully autonomous multipurpose vehicle this week. The announcement was full of buzzwords—the modular Vision Urbanetic​​ “enables on-demand, sustainable and efficient movement of people and goods” and “reduces traffic flows, relieves inner-city infrastructures and contributes to an improved quality of urban life.”


WATER


A permanent solution to California’s water woes — seawater

San Francisco Chronicle

On Thursday, the California Public Utilities Commission has the opportunity to​​ grant final approval​​ of an ocean desalination project that, when completed, will solve the Monterey Peninsula’s water woes.


Candidate Andrew Janz Says Pumping "At 100 Percent Capacity," Water Infrastructure Needed

VPR

We’re less than two months away from this year’s midterm election, and Democrats are still  holding out for a blue wave across the country


“Xtra”


Scheduling conflict aside, fair fills last concert lineup spots with Paquita and CNCO

Fresno Bee

CNCO and Paquita la del Barrio have been added to the entertainment lineup at The Big Fresno Fair, which runs Oct. 3-14, 2018. Paquita replaces Norteño band Calibre 50, which had a scheduling conflict.


Walk and run to help special needs athletes

Madera Tribune

An annual 5K walk-and-run event to raise funds for and call attention to Madera Special Needs Sports and Recreation has been scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 13, at Lions Town and Country Park.


99th Tulare County Fair kicks off​​ 

ABC30

The 99th Tulare County Fair started on Wednesday, and organizers say it's off to a great start.


Valley Animal Haven expands reading program

Hanford Sentinel

With each turn of the page, children are practicing their reading skills and helping the dogs at Valley Animal Haven.


Beyond flea market finds, new Modesto pop-up market showcases Latinx makers

Modesto Bee

“The Central Valley’s first pop-up Latinx market,” the event debuts Sunday, Sept. 16, at Urbano California Bistro in downtown Modesto. The market will feature the work of local and regional Latinx creators.


True Grito: Kern Hispanic chamber celebrates Mexican Independence Day in style

Bakersfield Californian

It bears repeating that Mexican Independence Day is NOT Cinco de Mayo. The true celebration of freedom, which takes place Sept. 16, may still involve tacos and a tequila but it's much more.


Visalia Basket Weaving Event Explores Native American "Roots"

VPR

This weekend, the Tulare County Museum in Visalia is hosting an event in collaboration with the California Indian Basketweavers’ Association, and in honor of California Native American Day.