September 25, 2015

25Sep

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Political Stories

Top stories 

Following petroleum defeat, Jerry Brown’s air board flexes muscle on climate — Earlier this month, when a legislative effort to reduce petroleum use in motor vehicles fell apart, Gov. Jerry Brown vowed to push ahead with greenhouse gas reduction policies on his own. The administration on Thursday staged a show of force. While the Democratic governor appeared in New York to promote climate change policies at a meeting of the United Nations, the California Air Resources Board convened in Sacramento to consider renewing the state’s low carbon fuel standard, a central part of California’s greenhouse gas reduction program. Sacramento Bee articleLA Times articleAP article 

New California water bond seeks to plug funding holes — California environmentalists plan to file a new water bond proposal with the secretary of state next week, a measure backers say will provide critical money for programs that were under funded by the $7.8 billion bond passed by voters last year. Reuters article

Valley politics

Valadao chief of staff leaving for PG&E job — Tal Eslick, David Valadao’s chief of staff and political confidant both during his time in the state Assembly and now as a congressman, is leaving for a job at Pacific Gas & Electric. Eslick, 30, will relocate to San Francisco along with his wife, Rachel, who is currently vice president of governmental affairs for the Fresno Chamber of Commerce. He had been Valadao’s chief of staff for five years. Fresno Bee article

Statewide politics/Ballot Measures

Fighting words: California Politics Podcast —  This week: Which tax measure prevails? Atkins vs. Block? And Republicans seem to … well, stop fighting. California Politics Podcast in KQED

Bill Whalen: Could this be the start of a GOP turnaround? — When the California Republican Party gets back in the game – by the strictest of definitions, winning a statewide office – we may remember an otherwise unmemorable weekend in September 2015 as its turning point. Two noteworthy transactions at the state GOP’s convention in Anaheim could yield significant positive dividends for the struggling party. Whalen column in Sacramento Bee

Immigration 

Pope tells Congress U.S. should reject hostility to immigrants — Pope Francis told Congress on Thursday that the United States should reject hostility to immigrants and treat them humanely, directly addressing a thorny subject that is dividing the country and stirring debate in the 2016 presidential campaign. Reuters articleFresno Bee article 

LA immigration group at center of girl’s encounter with pope — Sophie Cruz’s brief encounter with Pope Francis during his parade in Washington this week appeared to be the kind of spontaneous moment that is so endearing about this pope: an initially hesitant young child wrapping an arm around his neck as he offers a kiss and a blessing. But for 5-year-old Sophie, the moment unfolded as perfectly as it was scripted by members of a coalition of Los Angeles-based immigration rights groups. AP article

Other areas

Protestors rally for, and against, end-of-life bill – Governor Jerry Brown has not said whether he will sign a bill that would allow terminally ill Californians to end their lives with doctor assistance. So opponents and supporters are both trying to sway him. They held dueling rallies at the state Capitol Thursday. Capital Public Radio reportSacramento Bee article

Dems might have hard time unseating Bay Area’s only GOP lawmaker – Unseating the Bay Area’s only Republican lawmaker next year might not be as easy as Democrats once hoped. Assemblywoman Catharine Baker, R-Dublin, was widely considered a target when she took office last December after winning one of the state’s costliest and ugliest legislative races. Contra Costa Times article

Kevin McCarthy defends Boehner, tells conservatives: ‘Let’s move on’ – The House majority leader is widely viewed as the only viable option for succeeding Boehner. But McCarthy has continued to stand behind Boehner, and his ongoing defense serves as a rejection of overtures from some conservatives who have been privately suggesting that, if they succeeded in a coup attempt on the speaker, they would support the genial Californian in a smooth succession. Washington Post article

Sacramento Bee: Of course, oil demonized Tesla — The oil industry and the auto alliance had plenty of reasons for opposing SB 350. Car companies want to protect their market share. Oil companies want to sell gasoline and diesel. If they can demonize an electric car company or regulators who ask nosy questions, so much the better; not for us, maybe, but for them. Sacramento Bee editorial

Senate fails to advance bill that would cut Planned Parenthood funding – With a federal shutdown days away, Senate Republicans tried — and failed — on Thursday to advance legislation that would eliminate money for Planned Parenthood but keep government offices and services open. LA Times article

Trump may have passed his peak, polls indicate – There’s almost nothing Donald Trump likes to talk about more than his steady rise in polls. He may have to find a new topic. A series of polls conducted since last week’s Republican debate at the Reagan Library continue to show Trump leading the pack. But they also show a plateau, or perhaps a small decline. LA Times article

Hillary Clinton’s big donors in California have found all sorts of reasons to be nervous — Clinton will be back in California on Sunday to collect yet more checks. And one of the toughest challenges she and her advisors face is convincing this crowd of Hollywood executives and other titans of West Coast industry that they’ve got the campaign under control. LA Times article

Carly Fiorina builds off successful GOP debate performance – In her first campaign swing since her widely acclaimed performance in last week’s Republican debate, Mrs. Fiorina seemed intent on replicating her debate demeanor on the trail and demonstrating how she has improved as a candidate. New York Times article 

Carly Fiorina’s bogus ‘secretary to CEO’ career trajectory (Fact Checker biography) — GOP presidential candidate Carly Fiorina tells this only-in-America life story in nearly every speech. She uses this description — of how she began her business career as a secretary and went on to be the first female chief executive of a major technology company — to portray how she overcame the odds to challenge the status quo. Washington Post article

News Stories

Top Stories 

UC Merced reports highest enrollment ever — Enrollment at UC Merced this fall climbed to another all-time high of 6,685 students – an increase of 6.7 percent compared to last year, according to headcount figures reported Thursday by the university. Merced Sun-Star article

California State University faculty union calls strike vote – Dissatisfied with a proposed 2 percent raise, the California State University faculty union has scheduled a vote next month to authorize a strike across the 23-campus system. The California Faculty Association, which represents about 25,000 CSU professors, lecturers, librarians, counselors and athletic coaches, is currently in mediation with the university over salaries for the 2015-16 academic year. Sacramento Bee article

Jobs and the Economy 

Fresno City Council approves Granite Park deal – It’s time to play ball at Granite Park. The Fresno City Council sealed a deal on Thursday with a pair of local businessmen to revive the failed sports facility on Cedar Avenue, about a mile south of Fresno State, into new fields of dreams for young athletes. It will be open to the public too. Fresno Bee article

Building activity up in Bakersfield – Building activity in Bakersfield has continued to increase during the past year, City Manager Alan Tandy said Friday in his weekly general information memorandum to the Bakersfield City Council and Mayor Harvey Hall. Bakersfield Californian article

Dan Walters: New bottle contains old wine – In one of his first major acts after returning to the governorship in 2011, Jerry Brown proposed to abolish hundreds of local redevelopment agencies, saying they had strayed from their original purposes and were consuming billions of tax dollars that would be better spent elsewhere. The Legislature agreed, but this week, Brown signed legislation that brings back a pared-down form of redevelopment, authorizing creation of “Community Revitalization and Investment Authorities” with many, but not all, of the same powers. Walters column in Sacramento Bee

Fresno’s Pacific Southwest building to debut ‘Workspace’ – Sevak Kachadurian, owner of the Pacific Southwest Building, has teamed with local tech entrepreneur Matt Tymn to create ‘Workspace,’ a new venue in the iconic downtown building designed to bring together “creators, collaborators and dreamers.” The Business Journal article

Latest on Chukchansi casino: Former U.S. gaming chief to assist tribe – Phil Hogen, a former National Indian Gaming Commission chairman, will advise the Picayune Rancheria of Chukchansi Indians on gaming regulatory issues, tribal officials announced Thursday. Fresno Bee article

Measure A: Sales tax’s success a matter of interpretation – Nearly 18 months after Measure A took effect, quantifying the success of the voter-approved public-safety sales tax remains a complex matter subject to the interpretation of hiring statistics and staffing levels at the Stockton Police Department. Stockton Record article 

Ed Bearden: Many reasons not to vote for Modesto’s Measure G – The retired social worker and former poet laureate of Modesto writes, “Manipulation in the matter of this new tax is blatantly transparent. Recognizing a trust issue remains, the City Council has proposed a blue ribbon panel to keep an eye on Measure G, making sure the money is spent as promised. The panel is meant to be reassuring, but this one could backfire. If the council cannot trust itself to oversee this new source of revenue, why should we?” Bearden op-ed in Modesto Bee 

Grocery chain Haagen is leaving California, Nevada and Arizona – Haggen Inc. is leaving California after a dramatic expansion gone wrong forced the grocery chain to file for bankruptcy protection this month. LA Times article

Sacramento completes Kings arena financing with $272.9 million bond sale — The city of Sacramento completed the sale of $272.9 million worth of bonds Thursday to finance the public’s share of the new Kings arena, capping a financial journey that began four years ago. Sacramento Bee article

 

Lack of affordable housing in Inland Empire placing bigger economic burden on low-income families – The lack of affordable housing in the Inland Empire is placing more families at risk of falling into poverty.  That’s according to last month’s report by the California Housing Partnership Corporation.  In both Riverside and San Bernardino counties, the report found that a majority of low-income families are spending more than 50 percent of their income and rent, and overcrowding (more than one family living together) is twice the national average.  California Forward website

Yellen expects rate hike this year ‘unless the economy surprises us’ – Federal Reserve Chairwoman Janet L. Yellen said Thursday she expected the central bank to raise a key interest rate this year “unless the economy surprises us.” Speaking publicly for the first time since the Fed opted to hold the rate steady last week, Yellen said “considerable uncertainties” surround the U.S. economic outlook. LA Times articleAP article 

Who owns Yosemite? Concessionaire claims trademark on famed sites — The company that has long run the lodges, restaurants and visitor attractions at Yosemite National Park, but lost the high-dollar contract this spring, claims that such famous monikers as Badger Pass, Curry Village and the Ahwahnee Hotel — and, yes, even the name Yosemite — belong to it as valuable intellectual property. San Francisco Chronicle article 

State renews license for Clovis card room – The 500 Club Casino had its license renewed Thursday by the California Gambling Control Commission and will remain open for business, pending a hearing next year to determine the card room’s future. Sacramento Bee article

Sacramento rocket-engine maker Aerojet to pay $50 million over explosion – Aerojet Rocketdyne Holdings Inc. said Thursday it will pay a major customer $50 million to settle a dispute over a spectacular launchpad explosion last fall, the latest in a series of setbacks for the Rancho Cordova rocket-engine maker. Sacramento Bee article

Latino immigrants finally getting suburban-style chain stores – The Azalea shopping center features a lineup of shops familiar to suburban malls: Forever 21, TGI Friday’s and Michaels. What makes the Azalea unusual — and, in the eyes of some, revolutionary — is that it’s in South Gate, in the heart of working-class southeast Los Angeles County. LA Times article

Volkswagen emissions scandal: Lawsuit filed in California — An Audi owner has filed a federal lawsuit in Los Angeles over news that Volkswagen tampered with emissions testing on VW and Audi models to deceive regulators. AP article

Volunteer challenge laid down to Tulare County employees – Tulare County employees are being asked over the next three months to collect food for needy people or help build houses for low-income families or spruce up schools or do any number of other volunteer acts. Visalia Times-Delta article

Santa Monica minimum wage hike could exempt union firms – The Santa Monica City Council is poised to pass a wage hike that matches the landmark boost approved in Los Angeles earlier this year. But Santa Monica is also considering including a measure that was shelved in L.A. after furious debate: Allowing unionized businesses to waive the new wage requirements if their workers agree to do so. LA Times article

San Francisco archbishop quiet on pope’s pet issue: Income inequality — San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone isn’t shy about taking bold public stances on national issues like same-sex marriage. But he’s been reticent to use his bully pulpit to speak as loudly about income inequality, the most pressing concern in San Francisco — and Pope Francis’ pet issue. San Francisco Chronicle article

Jury awards fired Oakland employee more than a half-million dollars — A jury has awarded more than $600,000 to a former Oakland employee relations director who accused the city of wrongful termination. Daryelle LaWanna Preston sued after she was fired in 2013 for allegedly refusing to state that Councilwoman Desley Brooks had acted improperly in managing a city-owned teen center, according to her lawyers. Oakland Tribune articleSan Francisco Chronicle article 

Should LA legalize street vendors? Stakes are high for shop owners — City leaders are weighing whether to legalize and regulate the bustling trade that is already widespread on many sidewalks, an idea that has heartened throngs of street vendors who make their living selling ice cream, hot dogs wrapped in bacon and a slew of other goods. LA Times article

LA councilman calls for digital signs on city property – A San Fernando Valley politician called Thursday for digital billboards to be permitted on some city-owned properties, saying the resulting advertising revenue could be used to pay both for basic services and for initiatives to help the homeless. LA Times article

 

Agriculture/Water/Drought

Investors mine for water, the next hot commodity – Private companies like Cadiz Inc. and Poseidon Water hope to turn a profit by slaking the mounting thirst of California and the West. But the obstacles are formidable. New York Times article

Emergency program has restored water supply for homes in Stanislaus County – As of Tuesday, a drought relief program has restored a water supply for almost 30 homes with dry wells in Stanislaus County. Modesto Bee article

Groundwater recharge project moves ahead – The Eastside Water District board voted Thursday to ask its farmers for $6 million for a groundwater recharge project. The system would eliminate no more than 10 percent of the overdraft in the 61,000-acre district, which straddles Stanislaus and Merced counties southwest of Turlock Lake, but backers said it would be a worthwhile start. Modesto Bee article

Kerry Kennedy: A half century on, union stlll fighting for farmworkers – The president of Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights writes, “Most of the civil rights groups that organized mass protests in the South during the 1960s are no longer active, replaced by others that carry on the fight. The UFW, however, continues energetically battling for farmworkers.” Kennedy op-ed in Sacramento Bee

Former UFW volunteer looks back on Delano grape strike 50 years later — Farmworker leaders and boycott veterans will convene Saturday to remember what happened 50 years ago. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will return to the site where his father greeted the union’s leader, Cesar Chavez, during Chavez’s fast for nonviolence. Fresno Bee article

 

Criminal Justice/Prisons 

Stockton Police Chief responds to latest arrest video – Stockton Police Chief Eric Jones commented publicly for the first time Thursday on the forcible arrest of a woman whose struggle with officers was captured on video last weekend. Stockton Record article

Correctional officers, inmate hurt in assaults at prison in Folsom – Three correctional officers and an inmate at California State Prison, Sacramento, in Folsom were treated for injuries sustained in assaults by inmates Thursday morning.  Sacramento Bee article

 

LAPD body camera video of skid row shooting raises questions on tactics and training – A Los Angeles police officer repeatedly threatened to use a Taser against a homeless man who tried to talk to police before they shot and killed him on skid row, body camera video reviewed by The Times shows. LA Times article 

San Diego officer’s shooting was friendly fire — A San Diego police officer wounded in the neck during a pursuit and shootout in May was hit by “friendly fire,” or a shot fired by another officer, the department has confirmed. San Diego Union-Tribune article

Stockton Record: Off the streets — The magnitude of a coordinated law enforcement effort announced last week is staggering. Stockton Record editorial

Education

Sanger Unified defends use of no-bid contracts – The Sanger Unified School District approved a multimillion-dollar no-bid contract with Harris Construction this week, despite ongoing controversy about Fresno Unified doing the same. Fresno Bee article

Group urges Fresno Unified to unlock gates in south Fresno – A local group is putting pressure on Fresno Unified School District to unlock school gates after hours and on weekends. As FM89’s Diana Aguilera reports, they say every child no matter what zip code they live in should have a place to play. KVPR report 

The Grade: Letting kids pick — Want your kids to eat their fruits and veggies? Give them options, and let them pick. That’s a theory the national Let’s Move Salad Bars to Schools campaign has embraced and the Panama-Buena Vista Union School District is finding to be true. Bakersfield Californian article 

Orange County says special-ed students must also comply with vaccine law – In Orange County, home to the Disneyland measles outbreak that spread to seven other states and fueled a strict California vaccination law this year, attorneys for the Orange County Department of Education have stated that the new vaccination requirements apply equally to special education students, a group that some thought would be exempt because of their federally protected right to educational services. KQED report 

LA Unified highlights magnet school performance compared with charters — The Los Angeles Unified School District this week released an analysis of test scores showing that its magnet schools are outperforming charter schools. This comes as private foundations are proposing a huge expansion of charters in the city. LA Times article 

San Joaquin Delta College achieves high credit rating — San Joaquin Delta College earns high marks in its latest credit rating, released by San Francisco-based Fitch Ratings this week. Stockton Record article

Energy/Environment 

As firefighting costs explode, fire prevention loses out – Fighting wildfires isn’t cheap, not with all the boots on the ground, the engines and dozers, the airplanes and fuel. And this year’s fire season — which is shaping up to be one of the most destructive in the modern history of the West — is also on track to be the costliest. San Francisco Chronicle article

State officials scrambling to adjust to year-round fire season – The ongoing drought, combined with slower but significant shifts brought about by climate change, is changing the way California’s largest fire protection agency does business, according to state officials. KQED report

NASA satellite catches sprawling burn scar left by Valley fire — Satellite images taken by NASA show the staggering devastation left by the Valley Fire that killed at least four people as it leveled hundreds of homes earlier this month. San Francisco Chronicle articleLA Times article

Records detail dramatic response to California wildfire – A daughter was worried about her elderly parents trying to flee a massive California wildfire on horseback. A couple needing help evacuating waited for deputies in a creek near their home. A woman fretted that her mother with Alzheimer’s disease wouldn’t know to leave. Those were just a few of the overwhelming number of calls the tiny Lake County Sheriff’s Department received during the fast-moving blaze that began Sept. 12 about 100 miles north of San Francisco. AP article

William Tweed: Thoughts on the Rough fire – A naturalist can pull all kinds of lessons out of this incident — far more, in fact, than one can squeeze into a column this size. But allow me to share some important points. Tweed in Visalia Times-Delta

Hub Walsh, Dennis Brazil, and Bill O’Brien: Fix the Clean Air Act or we’ll suffer the consequences – The Valley elected officials and members of the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District’s governing council write, “We urge the Congress and the President to take bipartisan action to modernize the Clean Air Act. Failure to correct the structural deficiencies in the act will lead to economic devastation for San Joaquin Valley residents and businesses without commensurate benefit in improving the region’s air quality. Walsh/Brazil/O’Brien op-ed in Merced Sun-Star

Woody Smeck:  Happy birthday, Sequoia National Park! – The superintendent of Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks writes, “On Friday, we commemorate the 125th anniversary of Sequoia National Park, the nation’s second-oldest national park behind Yellowstone. Its establishment in 1890 is the direct result of action by local citizens to protect giant sequoias for the enjoyment of future generations.” Smeck op-ed in Merced Sun-StarFresno Bee article

Salmon to swim above Shasta Day for first time in nearly 80 years – In just two years, Chinook salmon could be swimming above Shasta Dam for the first time in nearly eight decades under a proposal that would truck endangered hatchery-raised fish into a cold-water tributary that feeds the state’s largest reservoir. Sacramento Bee article 

Hey, waiter, this fish tastes like plastic! — A significant amount of synthetic clothing fibers have been found inside fish caught off the Northern California coast and ending up on local dinner plates, according to a new study by environmental scientists at UC Davis. San Francisco Chronicle article

Rescue center overwhelmed with starving seabirds; rising ocean temperatures cited — Across Northern California, on beaches from Monterey to Point Reyes, malnourished seabirds have been appearing in alarming numbers, some shrunken to little more than feather and bone. Sacramento Bee article

EPA to change diesel tests to thwart VW-like cheating — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency plans sweeping changes to the way it tests for diesel emissions after getting duped by clandestine software in Volkswagen cars for seven years. AP article

 

Health/Human Services 

Modesto Bee: Veterans center is a good investment for city, county — Helping veterans is a fine thing to do. But by helping veterans, Modesto and Stanislaus County are also helping themselves – and we like that idea, too. Modesto Bee editorial 

Kern Hospital Authority up for supervisors’ vote – Kern County supervisors are set to pull the trigger and launch the Kern County Hospital Authority. The ordinance that will create the authority is before the board for a vote. Bakersfield Californian article

UC Riverside professor slams feds, stands by his health app — UC Riverside professor of psychology Aaron Seitz had an idea for a mobile health app based on his area of research. In 2014, he launched. In 2015, he was hit with a substantial fine and a firestorm of bad pressKQED report

 

Land Use/Housing 

Court lets Berkeley couple build 10,000-square-foot home — A state appeals court has approved plans by a prominent Berkeley couple to build a large home on a steep hill over environmentalists’ objections. The ruling may signal an end to a long legal battle over California laws that exempt single-family homes and construction in already-settled residential areas from environmental review except in “unusual” circumstances. San Francisco Chronicle article

Transportation 

Downtown Turlock walking the walk as city plans $1 million bike-pedestrian grant — Volunteers nestled winter-blooming flowers and ornamental cabbages into planters along Main Street as community walkers limbered up before doing a circuit along the wide brick sidewalks that line Turlock’s downtown thoroughfare. That feet-friendly focus will expand into north and south areas of Turlock this coming year with an expected $1 million grant to help build better bike lanes and pedestrian crossings near schools. Modesto Bee article

Bay Bridge panel penalizes main contractor for construction woes — The panel overseeing the Bay Bridge construction project voted Thursday to penalize the main contractor $11 million for the 2013 failure of steel rods intended to help the new eastern span survive an earthquake, as well as for shoddy work that could threaten hundreds of other rods in the tower foundation. San Francisco Chronicle article

Bay Bridge done, but problems unresolved — No Champagne was raised Thursday as the new Bay Bridge was declared complete amid ongoing discussions of what to do about the saltwater threatening the rods that anchor the soaring tower to its base beneath the bay. Oakland Tribune article

Sacramento transit officials ask, should light-rail station near arena to closed? — Sacramento Regional Transit officials are considering closing the light-rail station closest to the downtown sports and entertainment arena, saying that stop probably can’t handle the large crowds expected when the arena opens, and that trains there would block people from exiting east from the arena. Sacramento Bee article

 

Other areas

Lois Henry: How not to respond to the public – What started as a simple question about how much a new county employee is paid morphed into something weirdly and needlessly antagonistic. On Sept. 16, all news media received an email from Steve Gabbitas, formerly the Bakersfield City School District spokesman, alerting us that he is now the Kern County public information officer. How much does that position pay, I wondered? (That’s the “simple question” mentioned earlier.) Henry column in Bakersfield Californian article 

Commission wants more comments at meetings — Members of the Hanford Parks and Recreation Commission are crying foul after a recent City Council decision to change the commission’s agendas. Hanford Sentinel article

National champ Fresno Grizzlies raise ‘Growlifornia’ flag at City Hall — Fresno City Hall became central “Growlifornia” Thursday morning as government officials honored the Triple-A baseball national champions. Fresno Bee articleFresno Bee editorial

 

 

Valley Editorial Roundup

 

Fresno Bee – Fresno Grizzlies – hear them roar!

 

Modesto Bee – Helping veterans is a fine thing to do. But by helping veterans, Modesto and Stanislaus County are also helping themselves – and we like that idea, too.

Sacramento Bee – Can this pope make our politics connect?; Of course, oil demonized Tesla.

 

Stockton Record – The magnitude of a coordinated law enforcement effort announced last week is staggering.

Maddy Events

 

Sunday, Sept. 27, at 10 a.m. on Fresno ABC30 – Maddy Report: “Medi-Cal Providers: Is the Doctor In?” – Guest: California State Auditor Elaine Howle. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director Mark Keppler. 

Sunday, Sept. 27, at 10 a.m. on KMJ (580AM and 105.9FM Radio/podcast) – Maddy Report – Valley Views Edition: “Medi-Cal Programs in the Valley: Too Many Patients, Too Few Doctors?” — Guests: David Pomaville, director of the Fresno County Department of Public Health; Oralia Gomez, Fresno County program manager for Medi-Cal; Pam Holiwell, assistant director of the Kern County Department of Human Services; Robyn Gonzales, associate administrator for Community Medical Centers; and Stephen Schilling, CEO of Clinica Sierra Vista. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director Mark Keppler.

Sunday, Sept. 27, at 7 a.m. on Univision 21 (KFTV) and UniMas 61 (KTFF) – El Informe Maddy: “Medi-Cal Providers” – Guest: Margarita Fernandez, chief of public affairs in the Office of the California State Auditor. Host: Maddy Institute Deputy Director Ana Melendez.

The Maddy Report airs throughout California on The Cal Channel.  Check http://www.calchannel.com to find the Cal Channel and schedule in your area.  You also can view previous Maddy Report programs in their entirety at http://www.maddyinstitute.org/policy-analysis/the-maddy-report-tv.

 

Community Events

 

  • CA Fwd will hold an event on “Money, Schools, Jobs and You – A Bipartisan Conversation in Clovis” at the Center for Advanced Research Technology on Tuesday, Sept. 29, from 6-8 p.m. Speakers are Fresno Mayor Ashley Swearengin; former San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed; Pete Peterson, executive director of Davenport Institute for Public Engagement and Civic Leadership; and Marshall Tuck, Educator in Residence, New Teacher Center.  Event is free but registration is required.  More information: www.CAFWD.org.
  • IAP2NorCal and the Institute for Local Government will hold an event, “Public Participation for 21stCentury Democracy,” in San Jose on Thursday, Oct. 1, from 12:30-2:30 p.m.  More information is available here.
  • West Hills Community College District will hold an event, “Shifting Ground — Adapting the San Joaquin Valley Economy to a Changing Climate,” on Oct. 8 at Harris Ranch in Coalinga. Senior leaders from business, agriculture, government agencies and nonprofits will gather to launch immediate actions and provide near-term guidance to create next generation jobs in a region battered by drought and struggling with multiple challenges. Visit www.essentialelementsseries.comfor details of this no-fee policy series.
  • Zocalo Public Square will hold an event, “Can Fresno Win the War on Poverty?,” at Frank’s Place at Warnors Center for the Performing Arts in Fresno on Tuesday, Oct. 13, at 7 p.m.  More information: www.ZocaloPublicSquare.org.
  • The fourth annual San Joaquin Valley Affordable Housing Summit will be held at the Bakersfield Marriott at the Convention Center on Tuesday, Nov. 3, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Registration and additional information is available here.
  • The 34thannual Agribusiness Management Conference will be held at the DoubleTree Hotel and Conference Center in Fresno on Wednesday, Nov. 4. The event will feature presentation on the economic outlook for agriculture, trade, water, and immigration.  More information:  559.278.4405 or www.csufcab.com.
  • The 2015 California Economic Summit will be held in Ontario on Nov. 12-13.  Since its inception in 2012, the Summit has brought together hundreds of private, public and civic leaders from the state’s diverse regions in an effort to advance the triple bottom line: promoting a prosperous economy that respects environment and equity concerns.  More information and registration is available here.

 

Interactive

 

Next 10: UPDATED California budget challenge – For the first time in a decade, California’s budget is largely in balance.  However, the state has outstanding debts of $28 million, not counting long-term pension and retiree health care costs.  Budget choices affect us all.  Take the Challenge and decide how much should be spent on programs and where the money should come from.  Next 10 California Budget Challenge

Next 10: Federal budget challenge — The Federal Budget Challenge is based on The Concord Coalition’s Principles and Priorities budget exercise, which has been used in numerous town hall meetings across the country by members of Congress from both parties, as well as in hundreds of high school and college classrooms.  Next 10 Federal Budget challenge at www.federalbudgetchallenge.org.

Next 10: California Water Challenge – As our state faces some of the most severe drought conditions in its history, Next 10 wants to issue a new challenge to Californians: can you create a plan to make sure there’s enough water for everyone?  Next 10 California Water Challenge

LEGISLATORS’ VOTING RECORDS: How often has a California legislator broken party ranks, abstained or switched sides? The Sacramento Bee has a database of the voting records of every member of the state Senate and Assembly. Enter a lawmaker’s last and first names to see how he or she voted, or enter a bill number to see how every legislator voted on it. Check it out at this link.  http://www.sacbee.com/votingrecord/

More Information

 

Please visit http://www.maddyinstitute.com/news/maddy-daily if you want to view the Maddy Daily with our comprehensive list of links to all federal, state and local government, public affairs institutes/regional entities, Valley media and public policy blogs. (Please note new website address.)

Maddy Institute Updates List of San Joaquin Valley Elected Officials – The Maddy Institute has updated its list of San Joaquin Valley elected officials.  The list is available here.

 

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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.

 

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