POLICY & POLITICS
North SJ Valley:
Stanislaus seniors are forced out by crushing rents. Is rent control the answer?
Modesto Bee
Seniors with limited incomes are among the most vulnerable people in the housing crisis gripping Stanislaus County, as property owners increase rents based on the current market.
EDITORIAL: Keep your promise to our Valley, Governor Newsom
Modesto Bee
Governor Gavin Newsom must honor his promise to veto legislation whose unintended consequences would significantly harm our Central Valley economy.
Central SJ Valley:
Bullet train board votes on proposed Valley to San Jose route, amid backlash
Fresno Bee
A path that crosses a grassland area of western Merced County and continues with a tunnel through Pacheco Pass are features of a “preferred alternative” for a future bullet-train route, identified Tuesday by the California High-Speed Rail Authority.
South SJ Valley:
Supervisors approve new contract for sheriff's deputies, ending one-year standoff
Bakersfield Californian
The Kern County Board of Supervisors finally sealed the deal on a one-year agreement with the Kern Law Enforcement Association, making deputies among the highest paid in the Central Valley. In a 5-0 vote, supervisors on Tuesday approved the new contract. The Sheriff’s Office has been operating without a contract in place for its deputies since the beginning of 2018.
State's top oil regulator issues emergency cleanup order against Bakersfield company
Bakersfield Californian
A Bakersfield independent oil producer was ordered Tuesday to address a list of alleged violations at a well site it operates in the Fruitvale Oil Field in metropolitan Bakersfield.
Selma City Council Split Between Two District Maps: 'Are They Fair To The Community?'
VPR
The Selma City Council is torn between choosing a district map the community supports or picking one that keeps members from running against each other.
State:
California Democratic donor charged with running drug house
Fresno Bee
A prominent California Democratic donor has been charged with running a drug house where two men died of overdoses. Edward Buck was charged Tuesday.
See also:
Amid sexual harassment investigation, GOP leaders ask California lawmaker to retire
Sacramento Bee
If Assemblyman Bill Brough wants to win his 2020 re-election bid, he’ll have to do so without the support of his own party.
See also:
O.C. GOP calls on Bill Brough to end reelection campaign Los Angeles Times
Don’t buy into this Republican’s misleading ad about Ocasio-Cortez. Be smarter than that
Fresno Bee
Elizabeth Heng thinks you’re stupid. Yes, you. Heng thinks you’re dumber than a pile of bricks. She thinks you’re the person who fell asleep during history and civics class, pays scant attention to global politics and is easily swayed by misleading ads on television and social media.
How isolated are California Republicans? Let’s go to the map
San Francisco Chronicle
California is known as a deep-blue Democratic state, one where Republicans are little more than an afterthought. But a map of voter registration by county shows just how rural California Republicans have become.
EDITORIAL: The final verdict on Sacramento’s legislative session
San Francisco Chronicle
The state Legislature has finished passing bills for the year. Here’s what Gov. Newsom should sign.
Federal:
Trump to revoke California’s authority on clean-air rules. ‘We will fight this,’ Newsom says
Fresno Bee
President Donald Trump’s administration is expected Wednesday to rescind California’s unique legal authority to set air pollution rules that are stricter than the federal government’s, as a battle escalates over greenhouse gas emissions from cars.
See also:
Federal plan to end state mileage standards draws criticism Porterville Recorder
EPA Set To End California's Ability To Regulate Fuel Economy Capital Public Radio
Trump plans to revoke a key California environmental power; state officials vow to fight Los Angeles Times
Why is Trump so desperate to make California’s air more polluted? Los Angeles Times
Trump administration to revoke state's power to set clean auto rules San Francisco Chronicle
Is CA about to weaponize electric car rebates in its emissions battle against Trump? CALmatters
EPA to Unveil Plan to Take Away California’s Authority on Car Emissions Bloomberg
Trump administration to revoke California’s power to set stricter auto emissions standards Washington Post
Trump to Revoke California’s Authority to Set Stricter Auto Emissions Rules New York Times
OPINION: Opinion: Why is Trump so desperate to make California’s air more polluted? Los Angeles Times
Census Bureau on the 2020 survey: 'The census is safe'
abc30
The 2020 census is on track, government officials told reporters on Tuesday, and they sought to reassure the American public that any information collected in the population count will never be shared with local or federal law enforcement.
House Judiciary Committee holds 1st impeachment hearing
abc30
Democrats' first impeachment hearing quickly turned hostile Tuesday as their sole witness, former Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski, stonewalled many of their questions and said they were "focusing on petty and personal politics."
See also:
Ex-Trump Campaign Boss Corey Lewandowski Spars With House Democrats On 'Obstruction' Capital Public Radio
Corey Lewandowski clashes with Democrats at House impeachment hearing Los Angeles Times
‘President Swalwell’: Ex-Trump campaign manager needles Bay Area Democrat San Francisco Chronicle
Kamala Harris calls for new investigation into Brett Kavanaugh
abc30
Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh could face a new investigation into misconduct, if Senator Kamala Harris has her way.
Trump administration asks Supreme Court to limit CFPB’s independence
Los Angeles Times
The Trump administration is urging the U.S. Supreme Court to give the president more control over the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the agency that regulates mortgages and credit cards.
Federal Court: Cops Accused Of Stealing Over $225,000 Have Legal Immunity
Forbes
In a baffling decision by the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, earlier this month, a panel of judges unanimously ruled that Fresno police officers accused of stealing over $225,000 were entitled to “qualified immunity” and can’t be sued.
Elections 2020:
Trump gives California grief - but also takes its money
Fresno Bee
President Donald Trump rarely passes up the chance to throw a sharp elbow at left-leaning California, but he showed Tuesday he's more than happy to cash in there with a lunch-dinner-breakfast-lunch fundraising blitz expected to scoop up $15 million from wealthy Republicans in two days.
See also:
Rich Californians sure are eager to help fund Trump’s attacks on the Golden State Los Angeles Times
Trump isn’t just picking a fight with California liberals, he’s going after conservatives too Los Angeles Times
L.A. mega developer Geoffrey Palmer hosting Trump Beverly Hills fundraiser Los Angeles Times
Scott McNealy has long been one of Trump’s few friends in Silicon Valley San Francisco Chronicle
Presidential field’s leftward lurch presents dilemma for swing-district Democrats
Fresno Bee
The Democratic presidential candidates’ liberal positions on health care, climate change and gun control could hurt the party’s chances of winning battleground House and Senate races in 2020.
Sanders-Biden feud ramps up in front of key union audience
Fresno Bee
The high-stakes fight for working-class voters moved to Pennsylvania on Tuesday as a slate of Democratic White House hopefuls vowed to use the power of the presidency to crack down on corporate America and strengthen organized labor.
California’s Exclusive Electorate: A New Look at Who Votes and Why It Matters
PPIC
The people who go to the polls in California are very different from those who don’t—a gap that has far-reaching implications for our democracy and political future. The fact that a relatively small, unrepresentative group of Californians elect officials and make policies is an urgent challenge for the state, especially as the population continues to grow and change.
Californians and the 2020 Election
PPIC
All eyes will be on California when voters make their choices in the upcoming presidential primary on March 3. Last year, California experienced a surge in voter registration and voting. On the heels of record low turnout in 2014, the 2018 election had the highest turnout for a midterm in California since 1982. Still, PPIC colleagues report that turnout is low compared to other states.
Kamala Harris’ Presidential Campaign Barely Has a Pulse . . . in California!
National Review
Since the early days of this presidential primary cycle, there’s been a quiet but intriguing narrative that Kamala Harris was a much stronger candidate than her national polling might suggest. The gist is that while most years, California is just an ATM for Democratic presidential candidates, this cycle the Golden State will vote on Super Tuesday, March 3.
Biden, Warren Gain in Latest Poll of Democratic Primary Voters
Wall Street Journal
Former Vice President Joe Biden and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren have gained support since the summer in their fight for the Democratic presidential nomination and are beginning to separate themselves from the rest of the party’s sprawling 2020 field, a new Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll finds.
See Also:
How Electable Is Elizabeth Warren, Anyway? New York Magazine
CA 120 Presidential Primary Tracking Poll Tableau Public
The cost of Medicare for All: Sticker shock or bill relief?
PolitiFact
Despite the starring role it played on the Democratic debate stage in Houston, Medicare for All remains fuzzy in one key respect: The price tag. At one point, former Vice President Joe Biden said it would cost $30 trillion. And Sen. Bernie Sanders, author of the bill, didn’t argue.
OPINION: Don’t Cancel the GOP Primaries
Wall Street Journal
The 2020 GOP presidential primary is shaping up to be a nonevent, perhaps literally. Republican leaders in Arizona, Kansas, Nevada and South Carolina have canceled their primaries, and several more may do so before the deadline for submitting state delegate selection rules on October 1.
Other:
Cokie Roberts, Pioneering Journalist Who Helped Shape NPR, Dies At 75
KVPR
Veteran journalist Cokie Roberts, who joined an upstart NPR in 1978 and left an indelible imprint on the growing network with her coverage of Washington politics before later going to ABC News, has died. She was 75.
AEI
One of the very great blessings we enjoy as Americans is the written Constitution we have inherited, and are called on to perpetuate and strengthen. It is, as Abraham Lincoln memorably put it (echoing Proverbs 25:11), the picture of silver that houses our apple of gold — the institutional architecture that helps us put into effect the self-evident truths at the core of our founding.
How Hackers Could Break Into the Smart City
Wall Street Journal
Smart cities are coming. And you can be sure that hackers won’t be very far behind. We’ve already gotten a glimpse of that future, as cities across the globe start to use technology to connect their services and residents in ways that were science fiction just a few years ago.
AGRICULTURE/FOOD
Drought tolerant crop being studied in the Valley
abc30
Big research is happening at the Kearney Agriculture and Extension Center in Fresno County. Sorghum, a crop that looks similar to corn, is under a microscope.
Rosa Brothers Milk Company celebrates seventh anniversary
Porterville Recorder
Rosa Brothers Milk Company will mark its seventh year with an anniversary celebration on Saturday, September 28, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the Rosa Brothers Milk Company Creamery Store located at 2400 South K Street, Tulare.
Kern falls behind Fresno County in total crop value
Bakersfield Californian
Kern has lost the title of being the nation's top-grossing county for agricultural production, according to an annual report released Tuesday.
Stockton Record
Dot Foods California delivered packaged goods to the Good Samaritan Training Center on Tuesday. The food redistribution center in Modesto dropped off items earlier in the day at Calvary Community Church in Manteca.
Assemi Family Files Lawsuit Over Pistachio Contract With Wonderful Company
VPR
A prominent Fresno family has filed a lawsuit against the Wonderful Company for breaching a contract of payment.
USDA Offers Pork Companies A New Inspection Plan, Despite Opposition
Capital Public Radio
Under new federal rules, pork companies can hire workers to do some tasks currently reserved for federal inspectors in hog slaughterhouses. Critics say it's a move toward privatization.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE / FIRE / PUBLIC SAFETY
Crime:
Abuse victims can now receive compensation from six California Catholic dioceses
Fresno Bee
People who have been sexually abused by priests as minors at six dioceses, including Sacramento and Fresno, can now file claims to receive money from an independent compensation program, as part of the Roman Catholic Church’s ongoing efforts to repair public trust and offer reparations for past abuse.
Public Safety:
Supervisors approve new contract for sheriff's deputies, ending one-year standoff
Bakersfield Californian
The Kern County Board of Supervisors finally sealed the deal on a one-year agreement with the Kern Law Enforcement Association, making deputies among the highest paid in the Central Valley.
Fire:
Everything to know about red flame retardant dropped during wildfires
abc30
Red flame retardant doesn't actually extinguish fires, but it does make it harder for trees and leaves to combust.
Evacuations lifted as rain douses Walker Fire in northeastern California
Sacramento Bee
California’s biggest wildfire of 2019, the Walker Fire, is near 100 percent containment after favorable weather conditions helped fire crews make great progress fighting the blaze.
PG&E to judge: We're doing more tree work than any utility ‘has ever done before’
San Francisco Chronicle
An attorney for Pacific Gas and Electric Co. defended the company’s tree trimming to a federal judge Tuesday, describing its efforts to prevent more wildfires by heavily clearing vegetation around power lines as necessary and unprecedented in reach, even while conceding some major flaws in the program.
ECONOMY / JOBS
Economy:
2019 California Economic Summit Registration Opens
CAFWD
Registration has opened for the 2019 California Economic Summit, which will take place in Fresno on November 7-8. The Summit, produced by California Forward, marks the eighth annual gathering of private, public and civic leaders from across California’s diverse regions committed to creating a shared economic agenda to expand prosperity for all.
$1 billion and climbing: new milestone for California government’s delayed tech program
Sacramento Bee
The budget for California state government’s long-developing accounting program has surpassed $1 billion, and more spending will be required before all state departments are using it, according to program updates.
If you are looking to buy a new car, this trade deal could mean higher prices
Sacramento Bee
The price of a small car could increase $322 to $627 if the United States agrees to a new free trade deal with Mexico and Canada. Mid-size car prices could rise $105 to $231, while pickup trucks could cost an additional $151.
OPINION: The Business Roundtable’s Recipe for Confusion
Wall Street Journal
The Business Roundtable released a statement last month, signed by 181 CEOs, with the stated goal of “modernizing its principles on the role of a corporation.” The organization has issued various pronouncements for more than 40 years, all of which have endorsed maximizing shareholder value as the primary objective of a for-profit corporate enterprise.
Jobs:
Progress reported in contract talks between GM, union
Fresno Bee
Faced with weakening sales, a deteriorating global economy and an unpredictable trade war, General Motors and striking auto workers appeared to be making progress Tuesday toward a four-year labor contract.
Kohl’s is hiring 450 seasonal workers for Fresno area stores. Here’s how to apply
Fresno Bee
Department store Kohl’s is planning to hire 450 seasonal workers in the Fresno-Clovis area. Applicants can apply now. The retailer plans to hire 90,000 seasonal workers nationwide.
Kaiser CEO on strike: ‘We will always make sure we’re taking care of our members’
Sacramento Bee
Just before more than 80,000 workers announced Mondaythey planned an October strike against Kaiser Permanente, Kaiser CEO Bernard Tyson talked with The Bee about the union’s concerns about pay inequity, labor strategy and concerns voiced by workers.
California urges Trump administration to withdraw proposal on religious-based hiring
San Francisco Chronicle
California and 15 other states on Tuesday denounced a Trump administration proposal to let private businesses holding federal contracts use their owners’ religious views to justify employment practices, such as refusing to hire lesbians and gays.
How Much Will AB 5 Really Change California Law?
OgleTree Deakins
The answer is not as much as you may think. Much of the recent media coverage of California’s Assembly Bill 5 (AB 5) suggests that the bill represents a sea change in California law with respect to the classification of independent contractors.
See also:
The ABC Test May Soon Be Law in California: What Employers Need to Know OgleTree Deakins
Labor Costs Soar in San Jose and Phoenix
Bloomberg
Employers are shelling out an average of $53.65 per hour for a worker in San Jose. This is almost twice as much as in Miami. That’s according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data for private industry workers in 15 selected metropolitan areas. Data by metro area is available for March 2019.
See Also:
OPINION: Labor Shortage May Imperil Growth Wall Street Journal
White House intervenes in General Motors strike
Politico
The White House is seeking to end the United Auto Workers strike against General Motors with an agreement that would reopen an assembly plant in Lordstown, Ohio that GM shut down in March.
EDUCATION
K-12:
Are slow internet connections holding back American schools?
Brookings
Internet speeds in the United States have for years lagged behind other developed countries. Slow internet speeds have also been an issue for schools, although progress is evident in recent years. In 2012, 70% of schools lacked internet connections fast enough to support basic administrative and instructional needs (100 KBPS per person), but now only 1.6% of school districts fail to meet that low bar.
Higher Ed:
UC investments are going fossil free. But not exactly for the reasons you may think
Los Angeles Times
Our job is to make money for the University of California, and we’re betting we can do that without fossil fuels investments.
California community colleges push for financial aid reform in budget
EdSource
The California Community Colleges Board of Governors on Tuesday voted to ask for about $780 million in additional state dollars for the 2020-21 budget year, which would be a 7.5 percent increase over its current budget of about $10.3 billion.
OPINION: Not All Gifted Children Are From Affluent Families
Wall Street Journal
All of us understand why so many discussions about K-12 education center on bringing low-achieving students up to speed. How could they not? Despite massive increases in school spending over the past half-century, the U.S.
Apprenticeships:
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ENVIRONMENT/ ENERGY
Environment:
Trump to revoke California’s authority on clean-air rules. ‘We will fight this,’ Newsom says
Fresno Bee
President Donald Trump’s administration is expected Wednesday to rescind California’s unique legal authority to set air pollution rules that are stricter than the federal government’s, as a battle escalates over greenhouse gas emissions from cars.
See also:
Federal plan to end state mileage standards draws criticism Porterville Recorder
EPA Set To End California's Ability To Regulate Fuel Economy Capital Public Radio
Trump plans to revoke a key California environmental power; state officials vow to fight Los Angeles Times
Why is Trump so desperate to make California’s air more polluted? Los Angeles Times
Trump administration to revoke state's power to set clean auto rules San Francisco Chronicle
Is CA about to weaponize electric car rebates in its emissions battle against Trump? CALmatters
EPA to Unveil Plan to Take Away California’s Authority on Car Emissions Bloomberg
Trump administration to revoke California’s power to set stricter auto emissions standards Washington Post
Trump to Revoke California’s Authority to Set Stricter Auto Emissions Rules New York Times
OPINION: Opinion: Why is Trump so desperate to make California’s air more polluted? Los Angeles Times
Rare California trout species returns to native habitat
Porterville Recorder
For the first time in nearly a century, a rare California trout species will swim in a mountain creek that is its native habitat, marking a major milestone that conservationists hope will lead to a thriving population and removal of its threatened status.
State's top oil regulator issues emergency cleanup order against Bakersfield company
Bakersfield Californian
A Bakersfield independent oil producer was ordered Tuesday to address a list of alleged violations at a well site it operates in the Fruitvale Oil Field in metropolitan Bakersfield.
World’s largest privately owned giant sequoia forest sold for $15 million
Mercury News
A Bay Area conservation group has signed a deal to purchase the world’s largest privately owned giant sequoia forest, a primeval landscape in California’s Southern Sierra Nevada with massive trees that soar 250 feet tall, span up to 80 feet around at their trunks and live for more than 2,000 years.
San Francisco Bay is rising — are we moving fast enough to adapt?
San Francisco Chronicle
If the long-term threat is as grim as scientific projections indicate, local experts say the region needs to respond with increased urgency — an urgency that is at odds with the Bay Area’s often cumbersome decision-making processes.
The fight to contain climate change - Implementing Paris, mobilizing action
Brookings
With the follow-on elements to the Paris Agreement – the so-called Paris “rulebook” – all but finished at COP 24 in Poland last December, the concern of the international climate community is now focused principally on the challenge of rapidly increasing the ambition of country efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
American Lung Association
In the U.S., Fresno is top five in each area when considering pollution by ozone (Fresno-Madera-Hanford ranks #4), by year round particle pollution (Fresno-Madera-Hanford ranks #1) and by short-term particle pollution (Fresno-Madera-Hanford ranks #2).
Energy:
Citing ‘financial risk,’ UC pledges to divest from fossil fuels
CALmatters
In what is already shaping up to be a banner week for climate policy watchers, the University of California on Tuesday announced it will divest its $83 billion in endowment and pension funds from the fossil fuel industry, a move that could send ripple effects throughout higher education nationally.
Is CA about to weaponize electric car rebates in its emissions battle against Trump?
CALmatters
California is considering a plan that would reward automakers that have signed onto a pact with the state to cut pollution — and punish those that haven’t — by restricting which companies are eligible for millions of dollars in government rebates when consumers buy clean cars.
See Also:
California’s fight over tailpipe emissions, explained CALmatters
Biden, Warren Gain in Latest Poll of Democratic Primary Voters Politico
HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES
Health:
A bobble on vaccines tarnished Gavin Newsom’s first legislative year, Capitol experts say
Fresno Bee
A measure to regulate vaccine exemptions had just passed the state Assembly when Gov. Gavin Newsom threw lawmakers a curveball. The bill needed more changes, his office said in a tweet, “so medical providers, parents and public health officials can be certain of the rules of the road once the bill becomes law.”
CA to crack down on vaping, Governor signs executive order
abc30
Governor Gavin Newsom is addressing the rising health concerns associated with vaping and the industry's targeting of youth.
See also:
California Campaign Will Warn Public Of Vaping Dangers Capital Public Radio
In California, Juul's problems are only beginning Politico
EDITORIAL: Trump takes bold action to ban deadly vaping, but California failed. Why? Sacramento Bee
OPINION: Safe or Deadly: College Students Debate Vaping Wall Street Journal
Column: The Koch-backed right-to-try law has been a bust — but still threatens our health
Los Angeles Times
The federal right-to-try law, signed by President Trump in May 2018 as a sop to right-wing interests, including the Koch brothers network, always was a cruel sham perpetrated on sufferers of intractably fatal diseases.
Human Services:
The California health care system is in crisis. Here’s how we help fix it
Fresno Bee
The health care system in California is in “crisis” in every important measurement: cost and affordability, the outrageous number of people who still are uninsured, and the quality of care, which is subpar at best. We also must add the state of the health workforce to this unfortunate list.
Study shows viewers want more representation for those with disabilities
Los Angeles Times
Historically, able actors who play characters with disabilities have been rewarded for their performances with high box office returns, critical acclaim and even Academy Awards. But a recent study shows that viewers are getting tired of the lack of representation for the disability community on screen. Authenticity is the new frontier.
Mathematica
A proposed rule from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) that would eliminate the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)’s broad-based categorical eligibility (BBCE) would cause SNAP households in 39 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands to lose program eligibility, according to an impact assessment conducted by Mathematica.
IMMIGRATION
Trump immigration officials defend tent courts, saying they’ll speed up asylum process
Los Angeles Times
The new immigration tent court in this border city feels more like a detention center: barbed wire chain-link fence, metal detectors, security cameras and uniformed guards.
See also:
Watch the videos introducing immigrants to U.S. courts San Francisco Chronicle
Temporary reprieve on government plan to ban work for H-4 visa holders
San Francisco Chronicle
The federal government wants to revoke work permission for spouses of H-1B visa holders, who have visas called H-4. But it will take awhile yet.
LAND USE/HOUSING
Land Use:
Downtown Sacramento’s ‘hole in the ground’ has a new developer hired by CalPERS
Sacramento Bee
A Houston-based firm is taking over development of a long-vacant site on Capitol Mall in Sacramento, CalPERS announced Tuesday.
Housing:
Trump says San Francisco can cut homeless population in half. Can it?
Fresno Bee
In a 41-page White House report, the Trump administration took direct aim this week at California’s homelessness problem, saying the state’s “heavy regulation” of local housing markets is a major factor.
See also:
Trump blitzes into California, says cities ‘destroying themselves’ with homelessness Stockton Record
Trump slams LA, San Francisco over homelessness Visalia Times Delta
Trump says he will do 'something' about homelessness Bakersfield Californian
White House says it knows how to cut San Francisco’s homeless population in half Sacramento Bee
Fact check: Trump says San Francisco can cut homeless population in half. Can it? Sacramento Bee
Trump says California cities ‘destroying themselves’ with homelessness Los Angeles Times
Trump warns homelessness is ‘destroying’ SF, pays brief Bay Area visit San Francisco Chronicle
Trump and California See Same Homeless Problem, but Not the Same Solutions New York Times
EDITORIAL: America needs a president who cares about the homeless. Will Donald Trump even try? Sacramento Bee
Stanislaus seniors are forced out by crushing rents. Is rent control the answer?
Modesto Bee
Seniors with limited incomes are among the most vulnerable people in the housing crisis gripping Stanislaus County, as property owners increase rents based on the current market.
See also:
Heartbreaking stories of homelessness as crisis worsens
Stockton Record
During a City Council meeting devoted to homelessness, the CEO of the 32-year-old Stockton Shelter for the Homeless put the ever-steepening crisis into its clearest and most worrisome perspective.
More apartments can lower rents. Here are the California places building them
Sacramento Bee
Almost 125 of the 200 largest cities in California issued more housing permits for single-family housing units than multi-family housing units from 2010 through 2018. But others favor apartment-building, data show.
Los Angeles Times
The big housing news last week was that California lawmakers passed a cap on annual rent increases of 5% plus inflation for the next decade. Once Gov. Gavin Newsom signs the bill, California will have one of the strongest restrictions on rent hikes in the nation.
Airbnb pledges $25 million to support affordable housing and small business
Los Angeles Times
Home rental company Airbnb says it will invest $25 million toward affordable housing and other community needs, the latest plan by tech firms to ease a housing crisis their rapid growth has helped exacerbate.
HUD Secretary Carson drops in on SF public housing project
San Francisco Chronicle
In his first visit to San Francisco as secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, Ben Carson paid a quick visit to a public housing project in Potrero Hill, dodged an invitation to meet with the mayor, and left — all in the space of about an hour.
PUBLIC FINANCES
Trump administration asks Supreme Court to limit CFPB’s independence
Los Angeles Times
The Trump administration is urging the U.S. Supreme Court to give the president more control over the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the agency that regulates mortgages and credit cards.
California still No. 1 in poverty
CALmatters
As the California Legislature churned toward adjournment last week, its members received another reminder that the state’s most vexing — and shameful — socioeconomic malady persists.
TRANSPORTATION
Bullet train board votes on proposed Valley to San Jose route, amid backlash
Fresno Bee
A path that crosses a grassland area of western Merced County and continues with a tunnel through Pacheco Pass are features of a “preferred alternative” for a future bullet-train route, identified Tuesday by the California High-Speed Rail Authority.
If you are looking to buy a new car, this trade deal could mean higher prices
Fresno Bee
The price of a small car could increase $322 to $627 if the United States agrees to a new free trade deal with Mexico and Canada. Mid-size car prices could rise $105 to $231, while pickup trucks could cost an additional $151.
Construction project will close part of Hwy 41 for next 8 weekends
abc30
You may have seen the neon orange signs that warn of an upcoming project that will shut down part of State Route 41 for 55 hours for the next eight weekends. The plan is to have the cones picked up in time for each Monday morning commute at 5 a.m
Get free one-on-one help installing child safety seat in car
Stockton Record
Correctly used, child safety seats can reduce the risk of death and serious injury in the event of a vehicle collision by as much as 71 percent.
WATER
Trump administration threatens jail time for California officials over river project
Fresno Bee
The threats came in a dispute over reintroducing winter-run Chinook salmon into the McCloud River, a pristine river above Shasta Dam, as part of a federal plan approved under the Obama administration to try to stave off extinction for the critically endangered fish.
Newsom bucks his party on water
CALmatters
It had to happen sooner or later. At some point, California’s “resistance” to President Donald Trump would move beyond flowery rhetoric, tweets and lawsuits and seriously affect Californians.
See Also:
Two foremost water journalists to speak at CSUB
Bakersfield Californian
Veteran journalists Mark Arax and Lois Henry will discuss Arax's new book, "The Dreamt Land: Chasing Water and Dust Across California" on Oct. 3 on the campus of Cal State Bakersfield University.
“Xtra”
Tuolumne Meadows offers stunning mountain views and respite from Yosemite crowds
Fresno Bee
Yosemite Valley visitors know the park has a popularity problem, especially in summer when traffic and crowding hit their peak. But informed aficionados know Yosemite has abundant rewarding outings outside the valley that most visitors never see.
Central California Women's Conference draws big crowds to Fresno
abc30
Thousands of women from across the Valley gathered in Downtown Fresno for the annual Central California Women's Conference. On Tuesday, the sold-out event is dedicated to empowering women and this year, featured keynote speaker Tyra Banks.
See also:
Relay for Life held at Civic Park
Hanford Sentinel
Members of the community showed up to the fundraiser to help fight and stop cancer, proving once again that a community looking out for each other is who Hanford is.