September 24, 2019

24Sep

POLICY & POLITICS

 

Announcing The 2019 Wonderful Public Service Graduate Fellows

The Maddy Institute

The​​ Wonderful Public Service Graduate Fellowship​​ provides financial assistance for Valley students to help them obtain an advanced degree from a top graduate program and then return to apply what they have learned to help make the San Joaquin Valley a better place to live, work, and raise a family.

 

North SJ Valley:

 

Former Rep. Denham files to lobby on trade – and he’s open to lobbying on marijuana

Modesto Bee

Former Rep. Jeff Denham has officially registered to start lobbying on trade issues. Denham, a Republican from Turlock, was hired by D.C. lobbying firm K&L Gates in May following his defeat by Democrat Josh Harder last November.

New housing in downtown Modesto? We’ve heard it before, but this feels different

Modesto Bee

I wrote that as a Modesto Bee reporter 17 years ago, in 2002, when people were starting to get excited about signs pointing to new market-rate housing in downtown Modesto for the first time since Ralston Tower went up in 1974. But nothing happened.

 

‘No public pooping.’ Lazy partiers add to river’s nastiness, California officials say

Merced Sun-Star

The Russian River in Northern California has​​ a poop problem, and county officials say drunken beachgoers aren’t helping any, The Press Democrat reports.

 

Central SJ Valley:

 

They’re big, furry and Congress might help California kill them all to save the Delta

Fresno Bee

A rookie California lawmaker plans to haul a 20-pound rodent carcass into Congress on Tuesday to press his colleagues for money to fight an invasive species wreaking havoc on his district. 

 

Fresno wants inmates to clean highways. But who pays for it when they get hurt?

Fresno Bee

Fresno area officials say they are close to reinstating a program in which low-level offenders would do cleanup alongside area highways, but just who would be liable for workers’ compensation remains a sticking point.

 

South SJ Valley:

 

Inside Kern County's plan to reduce homelessness by jailing misdemeanor drug offenses

Bakersfield Californian

Kern County law enforcement agencies are working to enact a new policy that would lead to stricter punishments for some convicted of low-level crimes. The policies are meant to address concerns raised by local residents overwhelmed by what they say is a criminal element among Bakersfield’s homeless population with little interest in seeking help.

 

Bakersfield startup culture finds another home in BC's new Launchpad

Bakersfield Califorinian

A new kind of business center opening Tuesday in downtown Bakersfield is taking Kern County another step closer to the startup culture that has turned many metropolitan areas into miniature versions of Silicon Valley.

 

State:

 

California lawmaker’s aide rebuked in sexual harassment investigation

Fresno Bee

A former aide to a California state lawmaker made inappropriate comments to colleagues, according to a report released Monday by an office the Legislature created to investigate sexual harassment complaints. 

California attorney general accuses prominent Sacramento car dealer Paul Blanco of fraud

Sacramento Bee

Sacramento​​ auto dealer Paul Blanco, who has touted his involvement in minority communities statewide, was sued Monday by state Attorney General Xavier Becerra for allegedly preying on vulnerable customers with false advertising, phony credit statements and products such as service contracts that added thousands of dollars to purchase prices.

 

California’s ballot initiative process was supposed to get the money out of politics. Ha!

Los Angeles Times

In last November’s election, big money persuaded California voters to reject two ballot measures that would plainly have benefited them, Propositions 8 and 10.

Federal:

Trump’s EPA threatens California with highway funding cuts over ‘worst air quality’

Fresno Bee

The Trump administration is ratcheting up its threats against California with a letter warning the state faces sanctions – including cuts in federal highway funding – over its “failure” to submit complete reports on its implementation of the Clean Air Act.

See also:

 

Pelosi quietly sounding out House Democrats about whether to impeach Trump, officials say

Washington Post

Speaker Nancy Pelosi has been quietly sounding out top allies and lawmakers about whether the time has come to impeach President Trump, a major development as several moderate House Democrats resistant to impeachment suddenly endorsed the extraordinary step of trying to oust the president.

See also:

Elections 2020:

 

Congress wants answers on Trump’s dig for Biden dirt

Fresno Bee

Lawmakers in Congress on Monday pressed for full disclosure of a whistleblower's complaint about President Donald Trump as Democratic calls for impeachment intensified over his conversation with Ukraine's leader. Trump insisted he did nothing wrong.

See also:

 

California Democrats aim to boost March primary turnout with bills sent to Gavin Newsom

Sacramento Bee

California voters could soon see more notifications reminding them to vote in the primary and more options to register the day of the election under bills awaiting action by Gov. Gavin Newsom.

See also:

 

Democrats increase qualifying requirements for November debate

Los Angeles Times

The Democratic National Committee is increasing the polling and fundraising requirements for presidential candidates to qualify for the primary campaign’s fifth debate, in November.

 

What the #%&@?! Trump and 2020 Democrats are cursing a blue streak

Los Angeles Times

Sometimes actually seems to be quite often, as the path to the White House has become a blue streak of vulgarity, cuss words and four-letter effusions.

 

Where the candidates stand on transportation

SF Curbed

By nearly every metric, the U.S.’s transportation system is in dire need of a federally funded overhaul. Over 40,000 Americans die in motor vehicle crashes per year, and 7 million Americans are on the verge of defaulting on their car loans. 

Beto O’Rourke’s White House run tests limits of early strategy

Roll Call

The former congressman is crusading for tougher gun control laws not only in states with early primaries but in places like Aurora, Colorado, that, like his native El Paso, Texas, have been shaken by mass shootings. He’s also challenging other Democrats, including party leaders, on whether they’re doing enough to make a difference.

A to F+: Grading the Presidential Candidates on Their Labor Plans Worker rights are shaping up a key issue in 2020. Who has the best ideas?

New York Magazine

Never before have I seen Democratic candidates do so much to woo workers and win over union leaders. Elizabeth Warren kicked off her campaign at the site of the famous 1912 Bread and Roses textile strike in Lawrence, Massachusetts. 

 

MADDY INSTITUTE PUBLIC POLICY PROGRAMMING

 

Sunday, September 29, at 10 a.m. on ABC30 –​​ Maddy Report:​​ “Little Hoover Commission Report: What's So Special About Special Districts?”​​ – Guest: Carole D'Elia, Executive Director - Little Hoover Commission. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.

 

Sunday, September 29, at 10 a.m. on Newstalk 580AM/105.9FM (KMJ) –​​ Maddy Report - Valley Views Edition:​​ “Special Districts: Relevant or Redundant?”​​ – Guests:​​ David Fey from LAFCO Fresno; Sara Lytle-Pinhey from LAFCO Stanislaus; William Nicholson from LAFCO Merced; David Braun from LAFCO Madera; and Alan Hoffman, General Manager of the Fresno Metropolitan Flood Control District. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.

Sunday, September 29, at 7:30 a.m. on UniMas 61 (KTTF) –​​ El Informe Maddy:​​ “Los Diez mas Importantes de California”​​ – Invitado: Alexei Koseff, Reportero de Sacramento Bee. Presentado Por: Coordinadora del Programa del Maddy Institute, Maria Jeans.

AGRICULTURE/FOOD

 

Former Rep. Denham files to lobby on trade – and he’s open to lobbying on marijuana

Modesto Bee

Former Rep. Jeff Denham has officially registered to start lobbying on trade issues. Denham, a Republican from Turlock, was hired by D.C. lobbying firm K&L Gates in May following his defeat by Democrat Josh Harder last November.

Struggling Farmers See Bright Spot in Solar

Wall Street Journal

U.S. farmers are embracing an alternative means of turning sunlight into revenue during a sharp downturn in crop prices: solar power. Solar panels are being installed across the Farm Belt for personal and external use on land where growers are struggling to make ends meet.

 

CRIMINAL JUSTICE / FIRE / PUBLIC SAFETY

 

Crime:

California attorney general accuses prominent Sacramento car dealer Paul Blanco of fraud

Fresno Bee

Sacramento, California-based Paul Blanco’s Good Car Company is sued by CA state Attorney General Xaviver Becerra for allegedly fraudulent practices that targeted vulnerable consumers and the elderly.

See also:

 

A College Education in Prison Opens Unexpected Path to Freedom

Capital Public Radio

Federal​​ legislation​​ that would make grant aid available has bipartisan support, and in California,​​ a bill​​ to open the state’s financial aid program to incarcerated students is headed to the governor’s desk.

Erasing mistakes: California helps inmates remove tattoos

San Francisco Chronicle

It’s a mentally and emotionally transformative experience for female inmates, many of whom are removing gang tattoos or branding that they received when they were trafficked as sex workers.

EDITORIAL: Police, prosecutors and courts are keeping California’s criminal justice data a secret

Los Angeles Times

A quick flip through the statute books could leave the false impression that California has the nation’s most transparent criminal justice system, the most comprehensively compiled and carefully analyzed crime data, the most penetrating public access — even without a new bill on its way to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk.

Public Safety:

 

Fresno wants inmates to clean highways. But who pays for it when they get hurt?

Fresno Bee

Fresno area officials say they are close to reinstating a program in which low-level offenders would do cleanup alongside area highways, but just who would be liable for workers’ compensation remains a sticking point.

President Trump, America is still waiting for your improvements to gun laws

Los Angeles Times

Since Trump’s inauguration, 945 people have been killed and 3,713 wounded in 817 mass shooting incidents, in which at least four people were wounded or killed (a larger set than mass killings), according to data compiled by the​​ Gun Violence Archive.

Fire: 

PG&E shut off power for 21,000 customers in 3 counties. Here’s how they plan to help

Fresno Bee

Pacific Gas and Electric Co. will open five community resource centers to aid people who are affected from the power shutoff on Monday evening.

See also:

Late September heat, wind bring severe wildfire danger across Northern California this week

Sacramento Bee

As the Sacramento Valley​​ braces for increased fire danger this week, temperatures in the capital region are expected to rise well above average before cooling down quickly heading into the weekend.

Red Flag Warning & Fire Weather Watches

CA Fire

The National Weather Service issues Red Flag Warnings & Fire Weather Watches to alert fire departments of the onset, or possible onset, of critical weather and dry conditions that could lead to rapid or dramatic increases in wildfire activity. 

 

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.

 

Bakersfield startup culture finds another home in BC's new Launchpad

Bakersfield Califorinian

A new kind of business center opening Tuesday in downtown Bakersfield is taking Kern County another step closer to the startup culture that has turned many metropolitan areas into miniature versions of Silicon Valley.

Stock indexes barely budge; Overstock dives

Los Angeles Times

Wall Street had a listless day Monday, and major stock indexes closed little changed. The major indexes are each up modestly for the month and the quarter. The benchmark S&P 500 index remains close to the all-time high it set in July.

Apple’s most expensive computer will be U.S.-made after tariff exemption

Washington Post

Apple’s top-of-the-line computer will be assembled in Texas, the company announced Monday, a manufacturing decision that got caught up in the trade war with China. 

Trump’s vaping crackdown could help Juul by ending the decade’s biggest small-business success story

Washington Post

Mom-and-pop vape shops are the fastest-growing retail segment of the past decade, as well as the one with the highest share of employees at small businesses. But a government ban on flavored vapes and increased regulation could wipe them out and leave an opening for Big Tobacco and big tech to dominate the fast-growing industry.

 

Jobs:

 

28th annual Tulare County Job Fair happening this week

abc30

It's time to spruce up the resumes, the 28th annual Tulare County Job Fair is happening in Visalia this week. More than 80 employers will be searching for new employees, including Kaweah Delta Health Care, Ruiz Foods, Best Buy, Walmart and more.

California’s employment law was rewritten. Many independent contractors aren’t thrilled

Los Angeles Times

State Capitol Democrats and organized labor say their new “gig” law will correct the misclassification of 1 million California workers who are falsely deemed independent contractors. But their thinking reflects a misunderstanding.

 

Labor had a banner year in California — now will workers unionize?

CALmatters

Last summer, after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled public sector unions couldn’t compel fees from nonunion workers, the talk was that​​ organized labor had been hit hard, was facing a​​ mass exodus, and was playing defense​​ even in pro-labor California.   

 

California Supreme Court Rules that the “Underpaid Wages” Component of Labor Code Section 558 is Not a Civil Penalty under PAGA

Littler

Section 558 of the California Labor Code is a civil penalty statute permitting the Labor Commissioner to issue citations for:  (1) civil penalties, which are to be dispersed to the state, and (2) “underpaid wages,” which are to be dispersed directly to the underpaid employees. 

 

EDUCATION

 

K-12:

 

App gives people opportunity to help Kings County students

abc30

If you want to make a difference in a student's life, there's now an app for that. "The great thing about Purposity is so many people want to help but there's not been a way to do it," said Stephanie Eggert with the Kings County Department of Education Services.

SJ’s Kay Ruhstaller appointed to state Early Childhood Education Policy Council

Stockton Record

Kay Ruhstaller, executive director of the Family Resource and Referral Center, has been appointed to represent San Joaquin County and the Central Valley on the Early Childhood Education Policy Council at the state level.

 

Veterans Affairs moves to strip California’s power in fight over for-profit schools

Sacramento Bee

The Department of Veterans Affairs intends to strip California of its contract to regulate GI Bill benefits, denying the state a power it has used in the past to investigate alleged abuses by for-profit colleges and to hand down sanctions.

 

For California to thrive, Latinos must be included, and right now they’re too far behind

CALmatters

The good news is that the last decade has been better economically for Latinos living in California. But challenges persist. While Latino poverty rates are shrinking, Latinos still make up the largest ethnic group in the state who live in poverty.

Delay in school ethnic studies plan would bring more voices to the table

CALmatters

California’s embattled plan for an ethnic studies curriculum in public high schools excoriated by opponents as too politically correct, too pedantic and anti Semitic in its draft form could soon get a reprieve.

 

State Policy Levers to Increase School Meal Program Participation

Ed Note

Research shows school meal programs can improve​​ student achievement​​ and​​ physical​​ and​​ mental​​ health. Recently, the USDA proposed a new​​ rule​​ that would revise eligibility standards for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which can be used to automatically qualify children for school meal programs.

 

School boards group committed to tax plan despite legislative setback

EdSource

Efforts to set ambitious targets for more K-12 funding and to ask voters to pass a higher income tax on the wealthy failed to make it out of the Legislature this month. But their backers are vowing to regroup and move forward in 2020.

 

Higher Ed:

 

Announcing The 2019 Wonderful Public Service Graduate Fellows

The Maddy Institute

Now in its fifth year of investing in the next generation of San Joaquin Valley leaders, The Wonderful Company and The Maddy Institute announced the winners of the 2019 Wonderful Public Service Graduate Fellowship today.  These Fellowships, totaling $137,000, are made possible by the generosity of Lynda and Stewart Resnick, co-owners of The Wonderful Company.


Veterans Affairs moves to strip California’s power in fight over for-profit schools

Merced Sun-Star

The Department of Veterans Affairs intends to strip California of its contract to regulate GI Bill benefits, denying the state a power it has used in the past to investigate alleged abuses by for-profit colleges and to hand down sanctions.

 

$5 million grant will bring startup coaching program to University of California campuses

Sacramento Bee

The Blackstone Charitable Foundation’s​​ LaunchPad program, which brings startup incubator Techstars’ global network of business mentors to students, will soon be available at all universities in the system except UC Santa Barbara.

 

Prosecutors in college admissions scandal fighting for prison time for parents

Los Angeles Times

Shortly before she sentenced Felicity Huffman this month to two weeks in prison for her role in the college admissions scandal, a judge settled a lingering legal dispute. 

ENVIRONMENT/ ENERGY

 

Environment:

Trump’s EPA threatens California with highway funding cuts over ‘worst air quality’

Fresno Bee

The Trump administration is ratcheting up its threats against California with a letter warning the state faces sanctions – including cuts in federal highway funding – over its “failure” to submit complete reports on its implementation of the Clean Air Act.

See also:

 

They’re big, furry and Congress might help California kill them all to save the Delta

Fresno Bee

A rookie California lawmaker plans to haul a 20-pound rodent carcass into Congress on Tuesday to press his colleagues for money to fight an invasive species wreaking havoc on his district. 

Second-hottest August ever

Stockton Record

After a month of historically high temperatures around the world in August, national climate officials anticipate more of the same through the rest of 2019.

‘No public pooping.’ Lazy partiers add to river’s nastiness, California officials say

Merced Sun-Star

The Russian River in Northern California has​​ a poop problem, and county officials say drunken beachgoers aren’t helping any, The Press Democrat reports.

Former California Gov. Jerry Brown Launches Climate Change Institute With China, UC Berkeley

Capital Public Radio

The institute, a partnership with Tsinghua University in Beijing, will focus on research and training initiatives, as well as cultivating a dialogue” between researchers, scientists and public officials in both countries.

See also:

Q&A: What is the U.N. climate change summit?

Los Angeles Times

Enough with the platitudes — it’s time for world leaders to take concrete actions to avert a catastrophic heating of the planet. That’s the message United Nations Secretary-General​​ Antonio Guterres​​ has delivered to the heads of state gathering in New York for a summit aimed at galvanizing action to slow global warming.

See also:

 

To fight climate change, car-loving California must overhaul transportation. Can it?

San Francisco Chronicle

California’s crusade against planet-warming emissions seems at times disconnected from the reality of its gridlocked freeways. But that hasn’t stopped a push for change.

See also:

 

Californians Support Actions to Address Climate Change

PPIC
Today, world leaders converge in New York City for the​​ United Nations Climate Action Summit. The summit comes at a time when the federal government is moving in a different direction than California in the area of climate change and energy policy. 

The challenging politics of climate change

Brookings

As the climate crisis becomes more serious and more obvious, Americans remain resistant to decisive and comprehensive action on climate change. In “The Uninhabitable Earth: Life After Warming,” David Wallace-Wells paints a frightening picture of the coming environmental apocalypse. 

Energy:

 

State’s power supply is getting greener. It’s still got far to go

San Francisco Chronicle

Fueled by aggressive public policies, plummeting solar prices and evolving technology, the state has cut greenhouse gas emissions from its electric power supply in half since their 2008 peak, according to the California Air Resources Board.

 

HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES

 

Health:

 

‘Kids don’t want to roll joints.’ Why we’re in vaping crisis

Visalia Times Delta

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration has warned consumers not to buy THC oil from street dealers. Both agencies also recommend against all vaping. So why is this all happening right now?

See also:

 

How Brain Scans Are Used In Suicide Research

Capital Public Radio

Science Magazine reporter Emily Underwood joins us to discuss emerging research on suicide. Scientists are using brain scans to develop precision treatments for suicidal patients.

 

Why Gov. Newsom should veto SB 24, the chemical abortion bill

CALmatters

Senate Bill 24 would require California’s public universities to provide the chemical method of​​ abortion to college women. It would be a needless expansion of the practice of abortion, and​​ Gov. Gavin Newsom​​ should veto it.

 

Human Services:

 

Medical Board reprimands Visalia doctor

Visalia Times Delta

A Visalia neurologist was reprimanded and ordered to take remedial medical courses after the Medical Board of California found he gave a patient inadequate care over four years. 

 

A divided 9th Circuit could uphold Trump’s new abortion referral rule

Los Angeles Times

A federal appeals court appeared divided along party lines Monday on whether to uphold a new Trump administration rule that denies federal family planning money to clinics that refer patients for abortions.

Medicare double billed about 411,000 people who pay Part B premiums directly

San Francisco Chronicle

Because of a processing error, about 411,000 seniors who pay for Medicare Part B directly through the system’s Easy Pay had their premiums deducted twice from their bank accounts, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced Monday. 

IMMIGRATION

 

More Than 1,000 Families Have Been Separated at the Border, Despite Court Order

KQED
A federal judge in San Diego on Monday ordered the Trump administration to provide all documentation relating to migrant family separations, a practice that has continued despite​​ a June 2018 court order. More than 1,000 children have been separated from parents since then.

 

Trump’s refugee limits betray past Republican presidents and the founders

Los Angeles Times

Top aides to President Trump, according to White House leaks, are urging him​​ to limit or even eliminate refugee admissions​​ to the United States. The administration has already severely reduced America’s refugee program, especially in comparison with the Obama years.

 

Immigrants afraid of Trump’s ‘public charge’ rule are dropping food stamps, MediCal

CALmatters

The Trump administration had just published a new rule that could make it harder for immigrants to get a green card if they used, or were likely to use, public government benefits like food stamps or Medicaid.

California’s AG challenges Trump on fast-track deportations

San Diego Union-Tribune

Attorney General Xavier Becerra Monday asked the acting secretary of DHS to revoke a Trump administration rule that expands fast-track deportations for unauthorized immigrants who cannot prove that they have been in the country for at least two years.

LAND USE/HOUSING

 

Land Use:

 

Fresno Wildlife Rehabilitation Center Eyes David McDonald Park as New Home

Clovis RoundUp

Members from the Fresno Wildlife Rehabilitation Center and Director of Planning and Development Services at the City of Clovis Dwight Kroll, came together to provide information about the planned construction of a wildlife rehabilitation center in Clovis. 

16th Annual ‘Facelift’ Coming to Yosemite National Park

Sierra News

An extensive, park-wide yearly clean-up event — known as a “Facelift” — will take place here beginning later this week. 

Downtown East Precise Plan repealed

Hanford Sentinel

After six years with little to no improvement, the Hanford City Council voted Tuesday to repeal the Downtown East Precise Plan. In a unanimous decision, the plan was repealed as a regulatory document and then adopted as a guidance document.

'Lake to lake' is the vision, and most likely the reality, for Kern River Bike Path

Bakersfield Califorinian

Lake to lake. That's how Kern County Public Works Manager Yolanda Alcantar describes the latest vision of the Kern River Bike Path — a vision that appears to be on its way to becoming a reality.

 

New housing in downtown Modesto? We’ve heard it before, but this feels different

Modesto Bee

I wrote that as a Modesto Bee reporter 17 years ago, in 2002, when people were starting to get excited about signs pointing to new market-rate housing in downtown Modesto for the first time since Ralston Tower went up in 1974. But nothing happened.

County Assessors Are Wary of Proposed Prop. 13 Overhaul

PublicCEO

The California Board of Equalization met in San Diego this week to gather feedback from officials on the best ways to recruit and retain property appraisers who work for county assessors across the state. About 70 percent of those appraisers, according to state data, are over the age of 50.

 

Housing:

 

Southern Madera County is growing

Fresno Bee

New home construction is happening at a quick pase in southern Madera County along Highway 41 north of Fresno.

 

Inside Kern County's plan to reduce homelessness by jailing misdemeanor drug offenses

Bakersfield Californian

Kern County law enforcement agencies are working to enact a new policy that would lead to stricter punishments for some convicted of low-level crimes. The policies are meant to address concerns raised by local residents overwhelmed by what they say is a criminal element among Bakersfield’s homeless population with little interest in seeking help.

Modesto’s outdoor shelter will cost $1.6M. But expert says that looks like a bargain.

Modesto Bee

The cost to set up and operate the Modesto Outdoor Emergency Shelter — the tent city housing about 420 homeless people underneath the Ninth Street Bridge in the Tuolumne River Regional Park — is expected to be more than $1.6 million.

 

The Anatomy of a Neighborhood

Capital Public Radio

When you live in a city, the place that you call home can become a sort of identifier — You’re a San Franciscan, a New Yorker, a Sacramentan. But the individual neighborhoods within cities can differ in terms of residents’ demographics, access to healthy food and availability of public transportation.

Newsom wanted to go bold on housing. Have he and lawmakers delivered so far?

CALmatters

On the campaign trail and after taking office, Gov. Gavin Newsom promised bold action to confront the issue he called California’s greatest challenge: making housing affordable again. Or at least returning us to a world where​​ this house doesn’t sell for $900 grand.

 

PUBLIC FINANCES

 

A New Tax on Services?

CA Tax and Budget Project

California lawmakers are pushing a new sales tax on services that will cost consumers and businesses billions of dollars a year in higher costs for housing, infrastructure, and everyday​​ needs like legal help, auto repair, and banking. California has a $20+ billion state budget surplus and a growing affordability crisis – more taxes are the last thing we need.

 

California Courts Could Set Speed Limit on Uber’s Valuation

Wall Street Journal

Uber ’s valuation might now be in the hands of California’s courts. Earlier this month, the state’s Assembly and Senate passed a bill that might affect how gig companies classify their workers.

 

TRANSPORTATION

 

More flights, more passengers. Fresno airport braces for record fall, winter travel

Fresno Bee

Fresno Yosemite International Airport is bracing for a busy fall and winter travel season – all part of what looks like it will be a record year for passenger flow through the airport.

 

City efforts underway to clean up Fresno's highways

abc30

Driving on Fresno's highways, it's hard to miss the debris scattered throughout the landscape. Whether it's a homeless encampment or items that should've been thrown in the trash, the city is working with Caltrans and the county to make litter on the freeway a thing of the past.

California DMV technology is ‘alarming.’ Can the new director turn things around?

Sacramento Bee

When his wife handed him a newspaper in late March, Steve Gordon was intrigued by the headline. “Hate the California DMV? Here’s your chance to run it,” it read. Gordon, 59, had not worked in government in decades and had no political connections. A former tech services leader at Cisco living in San Jose, he did not fit the profile of a traditional applicant.

 

California High-Speed Rail board votes to bring trains to San Francisco

SF Curbed

California’s ongoing bullet train project is late, over-budget, and politically assailed everywhere from​​ Sacramento​​ to the​​ White House, but the nearly $80 billion venture still (pardon the term) chugs along, as the​​ High Speed Rail Authority board voted Tuesday​​ for routes that will eventually connect trains to the Bay Area.

California High-Speed Rail Authority Releases 2019 Sustainability Report, Announces Top Sustainability Ranking for Project

California High-Speed Rail Authority

California’s high-speed rail project received 5 stars and is one of the top ranked sustainable rail infrastructure projects in North America, as evaluated by the GRESB Infrastructure Assessment, the leading benchmark for environmental, social and governance policies, practices, and performance of real estate and infrastructure investments around the world.


WATER

 

'Lake to lake' is the vision, and most likely the reality, for Kern River Bike Path

Bakersfield Californian

Lake to lake. That's how Kern County Public Works Manager Yolanda Alcantar describes the latest vision of the Kern River Bike Path — a vision that appears to be on its way to becoming a reality.

 

They’re big, furry and Congress might help California kill them all to save the Delta

Sacramento Bee

A rookie California lawmaker plans to haul a 20-pound rodent carcass into Congress on Tuesday to press his colleagues for money to fight an invasive species wreaking havoc on his district.

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.

Beyond Senate Bill 1: California has a chance to make water history

CALmatters

California’s contemporary effort to modernize the water system in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta officially began in 2006. George W. Bush was president Arnold Schwarzenegger was governor. Their administrations signed a planning agreement. And the search for a solution was on.

Demise of key environment bill could escalate California’s water wars

CALmatters

The smoke has (partly) cleared from the legislative battlefield, in the aftermath of a struggle pitting the leader of the California Senate against not only powerful water and agricultural interests but also Gov. Gavin Newsom. And California’s two largest water-delivery systems may soon be operating under rules that differ ever more significantly.

“Xtra”

 

Big Fresno Fair Preview: Big times are almost back in the Valley

abc30

It's almost time for the Big Fresno Fair, and set up is underway for carnival games, tons of delicious fried foods and fun entertainment.

New animals welcomed to the Fresno Chaffee Zoo

abc30

You can find a couple of new furry faces at the Fresno Chaffee Zoo. The zoo welcomed Kit, a Wolf's Guenon monkey from New York. Additionally, a baby anteater, called a pup, was spotted taking a ride on his mother's back at the zoo.

Friant's "Topiary Zoo" a hidden gem in the Central Valley

abc30

Cliff Finch's Topiary Zoo is more often just called "The Zoo," and owner Joanie Finch says the name has made for some interesting calls. The Zoo is actually a topiary store in Friant that's been open just north of Fresno since 1981. 

River Ridge sets schedule for fall concerts, festival

Porterville Recorder

River Ridge Institute has set its schedule for its concert series, including its third annual Foothills Festival.

 

New Beginnings: Powwow celebrates culture

Porterville Recorder

It was a true celebration of culture at the Tule River Powwow hosted at McCarthy Ranch over the weekend. Beginning Friday night, Tule River Natives and members from several other tribes around the Valley danced and sang all the way through Sunday night.

It’s autumn! California’s fall color spots are starting to pop

Los Angeles Times

The Golden State — famous for its tropical palms, gracious live oaks and towering redwoods — also is home to trees that lose their leaves after a short but spectacular display of autumnal color.


Test yourself with our new free game: PolitiTruth

Think you can tell the difference between True and False?

Do you really know what is fake news?


Support the​​ Maddy Daily


HERE


Thank you!



Maddy Institute Updated List of San Joaquin Valley Elected Officials​​ HERE.


The Kenneth L. Maddy Institute​​ at California State University, Fresno was established to honor the legacy of one of California’s most principled and effective legislative leaders of the last half of the 20th Century by engaging, preparing and inspiring a new generation of governmental leaders for the 21st Century. Its mission is to inspire citizen participation, elevate government performance, provide non-partisan analysis and assist in providing solutions for public policy issues important to the region, state and nation.

                                                      

This document is to be used for informational purposes only. Unless specifically noted, The Maddy Institute at California State University, Fresno does not officially endorse or support views that may be expressed in the document. If you want to print a story, please do so now before the link expires.​​ 



To Subscribe or Unsubscribe:​​ mjeans@csufresno.edu