POLICY & POLITICS
Valley:
"Year of the Woman" Hits Central Valley, With Female Candidates In State, Congressional Races
Valley Public Radio
People are calling 2018, “the year of the woman.” More women have filed to run for office than ever before, and are advancing to the election in November. Even in the Central Valley, about half of the races for state legislature include female candidates.
KMJ-AF1
“We conducted roughly 70 interviews in the course of our Russia investigation, as you know, we wrote a report on that,’ said Congressman Nunes. “It was widely criticized by the mainstream media, and the left, however, it ends up that Special Council actually it looks like he copied our report because a lot of the research we was to indict some of the Russian foreign operatives, which is kind of ironic.”
Governor Vetoes Plan to Turn San Joaquin River into State Park
GV Wire
AB 3218 would have placed 5,900 acres adjacent to the river between Friant Dam and Highway 99 under the jurisdiction of the Millerton Lake State Recreation Area. It passed both the state assembly and senate without a single no vote.
Asm. Arambula: Quality health care in the Valley
Fresno Bee
Since I was elected to the state Assembly in 2016, I’ve devoted much of my efforts and advocacy to improving health care for families and children in the Central Valley and California.
Harder’s abortion stance, seen in 2017 video, becomes an issue in congressional campaign
Modesto Bee
Abortion, among the most divisive issues in American politics, suddenly is making waves in the hotly contested congressional race between Democratic challenger Josh Harder and Republican Rep. Jeff Denham.
See also:
● Democratic congressional candidate Josh Harder agrees to abortion through the “full nine terms” of pregnancy Modesto Bee
● EDITORIAL: Want to know where Denham, Harder stand? They’ll tell us on Thursday Modesto Bee
Civil Engineers give Kern County's infrastructure a “C” in latest report card
Bakersfield Californian
Kern County has some studying to do. The American Society of Civil Engineers Southern San Joaquin Branch has given the county’s infrastructure a C grade in a recent report, indicating the county has mediocre public utilities that require attention.
Board of Supervisors appoint new Veterans’ Services Officer
Bakersfield Californian
Joshua Dhanens has been appointed as Kern County’s new Veterans’ Services Officer. Dhanens served in the Military Police Corps of the U.S. Army for five years before serving in the same capacity in the California Army National Guard for four years.
What’s going on with evidence in Merced County corruption case? Trial delayed - again
Modesto Bee
Defendants Opinski and Jones have pleaded not guilty to allegations they bribed former Los Banos school trustee Dominic Falasco with $12,000 for his swing vote on the school board for three board actions, one of which was hiring Opinski as the construction manager for the major expansion of a Los Banos elementary school.
State:
Gov. Brown Rejects Ban On Paying Initiative Circulators For Each Signature
Capital Public Radio
Gov. Jerry Brown has vetoed a bill that would have banned campaigns from paying initiative, referendum and recall petition signature-gatherers on a per-signature basis.
Jerry Brown Made Climate Change His Issue. Now, He’s Not Sure How Much Politicians Can Do.
New York Times
But even as he sought to rally other politicians to the cause, Governor Brown’s conference underscored the limits of what politicians can do to avert the most catastrophic effects of climate change — even the politician who leads California, the wealthiest state in the country and the world’s fifth-largest economy.
Can Vulnerable California Republicans Stay Out Of Trump’s Shadow?
FiveThirtyEight
Of the Golden State’s 53 congressional seats, just 14 are held by Republicans. But half of those Republican-led districts voted for Hillary Clinton in 2016. President Trump’s approval in the state has also gone from bad to worse since he was sworn into office.
It’s getting ugly in races that hold key to House control
San Francisco Chronicle
With six weeks to go before the Nov. 6 election, the TV and digital battle for California House seats is heating up. But it’s not the congressional candidates who are doing most of the spending.
Walters: Political expediency worsens long-term consequences
CaLmatters
Politicians face a perpetual conflict between what’s expedient at the moment and what they should do for the long-term.
Federal:
Conservative Democratic voters will side with Kavanaugh, says former Blue Dog
Fresno Bee
Jason Altmire, who retired from Congress in 2013, believes Democrats overall stand to benefit from the confirmation turmoil, which is expected to bring both Kavanaugh and California psychology professor Christine Blasey Ford, who accused him of sexual assault rape in high school, before a Senate committee next week.
See Also:
● Congresswoman, first to talk to Kavanaugh accuser, calls her 'honest person' ABC30
● Kavanaugh accuser wants FBI investigation before testifying: Lawyer ABC30
● Kavanaugh Accuser Wants ‘Full Investigation’ Before Any Senate Hearing The Wall Street Journal
● Trump on Kavanaugh allegation: There 'shouldn't even be a little doubt' ABC30
● Senators united that Kavanaugh accuser should be heard; divided on how and where ABC30
● It's not easy to admit you're a victim of sexual assault Bakersfield Californian
● Christine Blasey Ford agonized about going public with Brett Kavanaugh sexual assault allegations Los Angeles Times
● California professor wants FBI inquiry before testifying about sexual assault allegation against Kavanaugh Los Angeles Times
● Trump says FBI shouldn't investigate Kavanaugh allegation Los Angeles Times
● A generation after Clarence Thomas, the Senate heads for another battle over judging allegations of sexual misconduct Los Angeles Times
● EDITORIAL: America needs to hear from Christine Blasey Ford Los Angeles Times
● Anita Hill’s treatment a lesson for accuser, GOP? San Francisco Chronicle
● Trump, de León say Feinstein blew it. Was there another way? San Francisco Chronicle
● Feinstein Plays a Key Role in Accusation Against Kavanaugh The Wall Street Journal
● Brett Kavanaugh Accusations Should Be Ignored National Review
● Kavanaugh Accuser Rejects Proposal for Monday Senate Judiciary Hearing Roll Call
● It's not easy to admit you're a victim of sexual assault Bakersfield Californian
De León isn’t backing off criticism of how Feinstein handled allegation against Kavanaugh
CALmatters
State Sen. Kevin de León, a Democrat who is challenging U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s re-election this fall, continues to assail her response to a constituent’s accusation of sexual assault by Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, saying the explanation that emerged over the weekend didn’t mollify his objection.
Court Bucks Chief Justice, Sheds Light on Dark Money Donors
Roll Call
Some political groups may no longer be able to hide the identities of their donors after the full Supreme Court on Tuesday reversed a decision by Chief Justice John G. Roberts that had stopped a lower court ruling requiring the disclosures.
See Also:
● Political nonprofits must now name many of their donors under federal court ruling after Supreme Court declines to intervene The Washington Post
● Chief Justice Roberts halts campaign finance ruling POLITICO
HUGHES: Supreme Court Fight Has Uncertain Impact
The Wall Street Journal
"It's impossible to know for sure whether this [fight] ultimately helps or hurts the Democrats," said Jennifer Lawless, a University of Virginia professor who specializes in the intersection of gender and politics. "There are a lot of moving parts at this point."
OPINION: The Supreme Court Needs Term Limits
The New York Times
This unfairness born of randomness isn’t the only problem. Given the deep partisan polarization in America, lifetime appointments have also turned confirmations into epic political battles. That’s why the Brett Kavanaugh process feels so momentous. It’s why the Merrick Garland process — or the lack of one — still enrages so many people.
Los Angeles Times
It’s not in anyone’s best interest — not Republicans, Democrats, Independents, Greens or anyone else — to let President Trump continue to dismantle important institutions, damage the country’s relationships with its allies and stoke mistrust among Americans.
See also:
● U.S. House of Representatives - CALmatters 2018 Election Guide CALmatters
Senate Passes Spending Bill, Aiming to Avoid Shutdown Before Midterms
The Wall Street Journal
In a 93-7 vote, the Senate approved the package of bills known as a “minibus,” in contrast to Congress’s usual use of “omnibus” spending legislation. The House is expected to take it up next week, according to a Republican aide. Lawmakers from both chambers worked jointly on the bill and announced it last week.
Other:
Central Valley volunteers with the Red Cross aiding Florence victims
ABC30
As Tropical Storm Florence ravages the East Coast, the American Red Cross continues to aid victims. Locally, they've deployed 15 volunteers from the Central Valley. Cindy Huge from Bakersfield is one of them.
OPINION: What Constitutes a Wave Election?
Roll Call
Could there be a blue wave 48 days from now? Sure, but it all depends on how independents break. The Kavanaugh confirmation, the outcome of the budget deal, the impact of the Trump tariffs and probably something we can’t even predict right now will all affect the outcome. But in the end, the choice for independents will depend on which party wins the battle of ideas, if offered.
MARIST POLL
Many Americans (61%), including 79% of Republicans, 60% of independents but only 44% of Democrats, believe domestic voter fraud or suppression is a bigger danger to keeping U.S. elections safe and secure than interference by foreign countries. 34% of Americans hold the opposite view.
OPINION: The American Dream Needs a Jolt
The Wall Street Journal
The expectation that each generation will do better than the last is at the heart of the American dream—and losing that confidence would transform our nation. A report this week from the Pew Research Center suggests that this faith in the future may be slipping away.
AGRICULTURE/FOOD
Gerawan workers win election to oust the United Farm Workers union
Fresno Bee
Five years ago, workers at Gerawan Farming voted out the United Farm Worker’s union by an overwhelming margin. But they only learned the result of their 2013 vote on Tuesday. The final tally was 1,098 against the union and 197 in favor of the UFW.
See Also:
● Five years later the Gerawan voting results are released. But this fight is not over. Fresno Bee
● Gerawan workers rejected UFW in vote counted five years later ABC30
● Five years later, ballots show fruit workers have rejected the UFW Los Angeles Times
Hundreds of employees at Sun-Maid in Kingsburg still off the job
ABC30
Hundreds of employees at the Sun-Maid raisin plant in Kingsburg are still off the job. They are entering their second week of a strike, opposing Sun-Maid proposals to increase their health care costs.
Nuts decline as Kern's 2017 ag production tops previous year by 1%, again beating Fresno
Bakersfield Californian
Kern apparently retained its title as the nation's top-grossing farming county as a report released Tuesday showed its 2017 agricultural bounty surpassed 2016's total by 1 percent despite declines in the value of locally produced almonds and pistachios.
See also:
Tulare County crops top $7 billion, behind only Kern Visalia Times-Delta
VIDEO: Central Coast Spotlight: Farm workers
KSBW
Harvesting crops is back-breaking work. It takes a skilled person to cut, clean, and trim 10 stalks of celery in less than 30 seconds.Monterey County's agricultural industry is worth $4 billion. Without farm workers, crops would rot in the fields. They wake up before sunrise to harvest vegetables and fruit for dinner tables across the U.S. (Video courtesy Eco Power Systems)
California wine among $60 billion in US goods hit by new China tariffs
San Francisco Chronicle
China is tacking $60 billion in additional tariffs on U.S. goods a day after President Trump instituted additional sanctions on Chinese imports, intensifying the trade war between the world’s two largest economies.
New California law to help sidewalk vendors operate legally
FOX
"We can start seeing sidewalk vendors for who they are - women and seniors, single parents, and micro-business owners taking that first step to starting their own business," said Sen. Ricardo Lara, the Bell Gardens Democrat who authored the bill, SB946. "Gov. Brown's signature validates that thousands of sidewalk vendors are an important part of our economy."
See also:
Selling home-cooked food will no longer be illegal under measure signed by Gov. Jerry Brown Los Angeles Times
CRIMINAL JUSTICE / FIRE / PUBLIC SAFETY
Crime:
Bakersfield mass shooting raises awareness of domestic violence locally
Visalia Times-Delta
Now, Kern County sheriff deputies are piecing together the "bizarre" puzzle of a Bakersfield shooting spree that left six dead last week may have been months in the making. One of the more likely scenarios stems from domestic violence.
See Also:
● Following Horrific Shooting, District Attorney Reflects On Domestic Violence In Kern County Valley Public Radio
Frustrated by crime and nuisances, downtown Stockton merchants band together to form Business Watch
Stockton Record
Aggressive panhandling, vandalism, loitering and homelessness are four of the primary problems downtown business and property owners must contend with. Tuesday, they banded together to form a Business Watch group to address the issues collectively, instead of on their own.
Kern crime lab using new technology to scan and create images of expended cartridges
Bakersfield Californian
The Kern Regional Crime Laboratory is using a new technology to scan and generate 2D and 3D digital images of bullets and cartridge cases in investigating gun-related crimes.
Public Safety:
Public safety members to be honored
Hanford Sentinel
The Hanford Chamber of Commerce is hosting its 22nd annual Public Safety Appreciation awards luncheon Friday, where a group of 15 men and women who work for public service agencies throughout Kings County will be honored.
Los Angeles Times
In 2016, California became the first state in the nation to allow family members, roommates and police officers to ask a judge to block individuals believed to be dangerous from having firearms for up to a year.
Fire:
Low-Severity Fires Like Prescribed Burns Might Not Be So Harmless To Soil
Capital Public Radio
Returning fire to the landscape in a managed way has been touted as an approach to better prevent large wildfires in California. But new research suggests prescribed burns might do more harm than good to soil and forest health.
ECONOMY / JOBS
Economy:
China imposes new tariffs on $60 billion of US goods
The Hill
The move comes in response to new tariffs put in place Monday by the White House on $200 billion of Chinese imports, with implementation slated for Sept. 24. Those tariffs will begin at 10 percent and then increase to 25 percent at the end of the year.
See Also:
● Trade Tensions Spike Between the U.S. and China The Wall Street Journal
● Tariffs, jobs, and the trade deficit AEI
● EDITORIAL: Trump’s increasing Chinese tariffs threaten U.S. economy San Francisco Chronicle
U.S. Business Groups Urge Trump to Keep Canada in Nafta
The Wall Street Journal
U.S. business groups sought Tuesday to increase pressure on the Trump administration to retain the existing structure of the North American Free Trade Agreement, urging U.S. officials to avoid advancing a new version of the pact that includes Mexico but not Canada.
The Corporate Tax Cut Is Paying for Itself
The Wall Street Journal
Compare the August 2018 economic forecast from the Congressional Budget Office with the one from June 2017, before the tax cuts passed, and we discover some very good news. The much higher than expected economic growth in the wake of the Trump tax cut means that U.S. gross domestic product will be higher than expected every year over the next decade.
What crowdfunding reveals about startups in American cities
Brookings
Entrepreneurship is critical to local economies, but America’s start-up rate has been declining for years. A new analysis from Sifan Liu and Joseph Parilla examines how crowdfunding services like Kickstarter can support creative ideas and give a boost to communities that haven’t attracted the attention of venture capital investors.
Jobs:
Gap hiring in October for seasonal warehouse jobs
Fresno Bee
Gap Inc. will fill more than 1,100 seasonal jobs in Fresno as it braces for the holiday shopping rush. Most of the local jobs will be at the large Gap Distribution Center near the Fresno Yosemite International Airport.
See where Californians are mostly likely to skip the commute and work from home
Sacramento Bee
For more than a million California workers, home is where the office is. The number of Californians working from home jumped by about 290,000, or 36 percent, from 2008 through 2017, according to new census figures.
Second Amazon Distribution Center Opening In Stockton
Capital Public Radio
Amazon’s newest center is over 1 million square feet in south Stockton near the airport. Officials say the two centers will hire around 2,000 workers.
Appeals court sides with bartenders and waiters in fight over tips
Los Angeles Times
Restaurants must pay waiters and bartenders minimum wage when they are engaged in tasks such as cleaning toilets that are unrelated to their main jobs and do not offer tips, a divided U.S. appeals court ruled Tuesday.
Forced to choose, Americans prefer more jobs over higher wages, poll shows
TheHill
The poll, conducted by Hill.TV and the HarrisX polling company, found that 60 percent of Americans polled said they wanted elected representatives from their area to focus more on creating new jobs. Forty percent of respondents said they wanted their elected officials to focus on increasing wages.
Employers Choose Bonuses Over Raises
The Wall Street Journal
For instance, 90% of employers offered sign-on bonuses for some physician assistants and nurse practitioners last year, up from 34% five years prior, according to data from Sullivan, Cotter & Associates, a health-care consulting company. Union Pacific Corp. , meanwhile, is dangling bonuses as high as $25,000 for workers such as diesel electricians and train crew members.
EDUCATION
K-12:
Parents with children who are deaf or hard of hearing have new resource in California
ABC30
On Monday, deaf education officials in Fresno and from the California Department of Education came together to pass out the latest version of the Silent Garden: a parent's guide to raising a deaf child in English and Spanish.
New Visalia school means winners and losers
Visalia Times-Delta
Visalia Unified School District is one step closer to opening its 27th elementary school. Administrators presented a final suggested boundary change for the area near the site of the new elementary school.
Kings County remains stern on truancy
Hanford Sentinel
If there’s one message that truancy officers have for parents, it’s that they do whatever it takes to make sure their kids are going to school all day, every day.
New app allows parents to track school buses in real time
Bakersfield Californian
The app, called Traversa Ride 360, allows parents to track where school buses are on their routes in real time, giving them a clear idea of when their kids are getting picked up and dropped off.
Report: To close California’s achievement gap, spend a lot more on preschool
CALmatters
Sweeping reforms to the way California funds its public schools appear to be lifting student achievement, but this state may need to do and spend much more, particularly on early childhood education, if Californians hope to keep up with the rest of the country in closing its “achievement gap.”
See also:
● A Portrait of Educational Outcomes in California Getting Down to Facts
● Big gap in where students are and where they need to be Modesto Bee
● California's children fall behind before they start school, and some never catch up, study finds Los Angeles Times
California Schools Need To Improve Charter Oversight, English Learner Achievement Gap, Report Finds
Capital Public Radio
A new report from Stanford University and Policy Analysis for California Education says that California is behind other states in overseeing charter schools and needs to do more for English language learners.
Does Teacher Diversity Matter in Student Learning?
The New York Times
The homogeneity of teachers is probably one of the contributors, the research suggests, to the stubborn gender and race gaps in student achievement: Over all, girls outperform boys, and white students outperform those who are black and Hispanic.
Higher Ed:
Fresno State celebrates Constitution Day with free speech discussion
Fresno Bee
Fresno State’s Institute for Media and Public Trust hosted its inaugural First Amendment public forum on Sept. 17, 2018 on campus.
All jazzed up for BC music summit
Bakersfield Californian
Bakersfield College music students participating in this weekend's Panorama Creative Music Summit are hoping to learn new things. They will.
Death of UC Riverside student raises question of fraternity hazing
Los Angeles Times
Hazing, which includes humiliating and sometimes dangerous initiation rituals, has been a part of Greek fraternity culture since its inception. Yet, at least one hazing death has occurred each year on a United States college campus from 1961 to 2017.
Career Technical Education: Funding & New State Oversight
PPIC
President Donald Trump recently signed the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act, or Perkins V, which reauthorized $1.2 billion dollars in federal funds for career and technical educational (CTE) programs.
ENVIRONMENT/ ENERGY
How does climate change affect us?
Modesto Bee
Signs of climate change are happening across the world, but as global citizens, we have the option to take action against climate change following some of these helpful tips.
Another greenhouse gas regulation to be weakened by Trump administration
San Francisco Chronicle
The Trump administration said Tuesday it will scale back regulation of methane pollution at oil and gas operations on federal land, the second policy change this month that allows drillers to emit more heat-trapping gas and sidestep Obama-era climate programs.
See Also:
● Trump rolls back pollution rules for drilling on US lands AP News
Jerry Brown Made Climate Change His Issue. Now, He’s Not Sure How Much Politicians Can Do.
New York Times
The California governor, set to retire in January, made global warming a signature cause. His appraisal: “I don’t know if I’m an optimist. I’m a realist.”
U.S. EPA, Sacramento Sanitation District Reach Settlement
Capital Public Radio
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has reached a settlement with the Sacramento Regional County Sanitation District over chemical violations at the Sacramento Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant in Elk Grove.
HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES
Health:
To Make Childbirth Safer, Look No Further Than Valley Hospitals
Valley Public Radio
U.S. has the one of highest rates of mothers dying in childbirth of any developed country. However, California slashed its own maternal mortality rate in half—and much of that improvement is being driven at the local level.
California sues maker of Humira, says sales of blockbuster drug boosted through deceptive practices
Los Angeles Times
California’s insurance regulator has accused pharmaceutical giant AbbVie of using kickbacks and other illegal practices to boost sales of Humira, one of the best-selling prescription drugs in the world.
See Also:
● California sues AbbVie, alleging kickbacks for drug San Francisco Chronicle
Flu shot clinics kick off this weekend
The Business Journal
This year's flu vaccine is designed to protect you from four different strains which sickened people last year in Colorado, Michigan, Singapore and Thailand
California: Drugmaker paid doctors to overprescribe Humira
The Business Journal
California has filed a lawsuit accusing pharmaceutical giant AbbVie of illegally plying doctors with cash, gifts and services to prescribe one of the world’s best-selling drugs.
In California, Saving Teeth And Money—One Mouth At A Time
Capital Public Radio
In California, tooth decay in children outpaces the national average. Hoping to get more kids into a dentist's chair, state officials are overhauling Denti-Cal, part of the Medi-Cal health system for low-income Californians.
Human Services:
County could cut short contracts with Hall, Liberty ambulance companies in certain parts of Kern following lawsuit
Bakersfield Californian
Kern County Supervisors are set to approve amendments to the contracts of Hall Ambulance and Liberty Ambulance, which would allow the county to request competitive bids for ambulance services in the areas of Wasco, Ridgecrest, California City and Mojave.
Valley Health Team acquires Alta Family Health
The Business Journal
Valley Health Team, Inc., a Federally Qualified Health Center headquartered in San Joaquin, has acquired the health center Alta Family Health Clinic, Inc. in Dinuba, announcing the agreement on Friday.
Behind Your Rising Health-Care Bills: Secret Hospital Deals That Squelch Competition
The Wall Street Journal
As part of these deals, hospitals can demand insurers include them in every plan and discourage use of less-expensive rivals. Other terms allow hospitals to mask prices from consumers, limit audits of claims, add extra fees and block efforts to exclude health-care providers based on quality or cost.
Some Low-Performing VA Hospitals Show Improvement
The Wall Street Journal
Those five hospitals had been the target of a program that floods poorly performing facilities with expertise and resources, and the improvements are seen by VA officials and physicians as a measure of success. But 10 other high-risk hospitals continue to languish among the lowest-ranked facilities, and will remain the target of improvement efforts, officials said.
Nurse practitioners: A solution to America’s primary care crisis
AEI
Many Americans do not have adequate access to primary care, so lawmakers, hospital administrators, and health care systems should remove restrictions on nurse practitioners that limit their scope-of-practice.
IMMIGRATION
They take ‘their last dollar.’ Immigrants at the mercy of fraudsters
Fresno Bee
Organizations serving the Valley immigrant community and specifically Fresno County say many immigrants are being victimized by notaries public, immigration consultants and unlicensed individuals who are defrauding them, consequently placing those individuals in a worse legal situation.
Trump admin proposes lowest cap ever for refugee admissions amid historic global need
ABC30
The Trump administration is proposing a cap of 30,000 refugee admissions in the 2019 fiscal year, according to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in what would be the lowest cap ever set in the refugee admissions program's 43-year history.
See Also:
● US again slashing number of refugees it will accept Stockton Record
Yemeni Family Settles In The Valley After Being Named In Supreme Court Case
Valley Public Radio
The Alomari family’s story gained national media attention when they were named in the Supreme Court case in June, Trump v. Hawaii, that upheld the travel ban. One of the reasons the court upheld the ban is because the justices ruled it was no longer a ban on all Muslims.
Kevin de León slams Dianne Feinstein over past immigration statements in new campaign ad
Los Angeles Times
Seven weeks ahead of their November showdown, state Sen. Kevin de León on Tuesday released a campaign video slamming U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein over past statements on one of the most heated topics in California politics: immigration.
U.S. Loses Track of Another 1,500 Migrant Children, Investigators Find
The New York Times
The Trump administration is unable to account for the whereabouts of nearly 1,500 migrant children who illegally entered the United States alone this year and were placed with sponsors after leaving federal shelters, according to congressional findings released on Tuesday.
LAND USE/HOUSING
Land Use:
Gov. Brown vetoes bill to expand Millerton State Park
ABC30
Governor Brown returned Assembly Bill 3218 to the California State Assembly unsigned.
Business improvement districts are 'anti-homeless,' new UC Berkeley report says
Los Angeles Times
The report by the Policy Advocacy Clinic at UC Berkeley School of Law alleges that business improvement districts, or BIDs, are exacerbating the plight of the homeless “by excluding homeless people from public places without addressing the causes and conditions of homelessness.”
Housing:
Modesto opens up Beard Brook Park to the homeless
Modesto Bee
Modesto will let the homeless camp in Beard Brook Park as it works toward providing more shelter beds after a court recently ruled people cannot be prosecuted for sleeping in public when they don’t have viable alternatives.
State, local leaders show support for affordable housing bond
San Diego Union-Tribune
Proposition One, the Veterans and Affordable Housing Act, is on the November ballot and would generate $4 billion for affordable housing, with $1 billion specifically for veterans.
My turn: What the next governor should do about the housing crisis
CALmatters
Sixteen years ago, I was on a state Homeless Summit panel hosted by California’s then-Gov. Gray Davis in Sacramento. I and other advocates were optimistic that the state’s homelessness crisis could be resolved because of a $2.1 billion bond, Proposition 46, would provide new housing for people struggling with homelessness. Voters approved the bond overwhelmingly.
PUBLIC FINANCES
Stanislaus County hiring, investing in former Crows Landing airfield as finances improve
Modesto Bee
Stanislaus County’s final budget for this year reflects a solid financial position as county government deals with challenges including homelessness, employee retention and better employment opportunities for a growing population.
TRANSPORTATION
Meadows Field to receive $1.3 million grant from FAA
Bakersfield Californian
Meadows Field Airport will receive a $1.3 million infrastructure grant from the Federal Aviation Administration for taxiway repairs. The grant comes as part of a $586 million package of infrastructure grants announced by the FAA.
HSR projected real estate costs nearly double to $1.5 billion for Valley segment
Fresno Bee
Among the many challenges that threaten California’s embattled high-speed rail project now under construction in the San Joaquin Valley, one of the more persistent has been the state’s difficulties in buying the real estate it needs for the route.
Las Vegas High-Speed Rail Venture Gets New Owner
The Wall Street Journal
Brightline Trains LLC, based in Miami, Fla., was expected to announce Tuesday that it had agreed to acquire XpressWest, a private rail project developed and owned by famed Las Vegas Strip contractor Tony Marnell.
See Also:
● Brightline is taking over high-speed rail between Victorville, Las Vegas Daily Press
● Passenger rail project between Southern California and Las Vegas has a new backer Los Angeles Times
WATER
Stockton Record
California’s system of dams and canals is made of equal parts concrete and injustice. Injustice is baked into the system, which unfairly burdens Stockton and the Delta.
Hodel Would Tear Down Dam in Hetch Hetchy
Los Angeles Times
Environmentalists were stunned and San Francisco officials were outraged Thursday by Interior Secretary Donald P. Hodel's suggestion that Hetch Hetchy reservoir in Yosemite National Park be drained and the valley restored to its natural state.
Fox&Hounds
Given a president who abandoned the Paris Accords and many in the administration and congress who insist on declaring global warming a “giant hoax,” Californians and like-minded nations will need to take control of their own destinies to solve these life-changing problems.
“Xtra”
Cirque du Soleil, Corteo
Fresno Bee
Cirque du Soleil kicks off six performances of its show "Corteo," Sept. 20, 2018 at the Save Mart Center.
Get lunch delivered to work and help a good cause
ABC30
Vocation Plus Connection in Fresno runs Snacks To You. The food is prepared by certified cooks at the Clovis Culinary Center and the employees through VPC box up the food and take it out. The organization helps adults with developmental disabilities.