September 25, 2018

25Sep


POLICY & POLITICS


Valley:


Andrew Janz’s Visalia campaign office burglarized overnight

Fresno Bee

A window at Andrew Janz’s Visalia campaign office was smashed and a cell phone used by the campaign as an office line was stolen, staff discovered Monday morning.​​ 

See Also:


Nunes says Stephen Colberts jokes are dangerous

Fresno Bee


'That was not the deal': McCarthy, Ryan renege on immigration vow

Politico

The California Republican aiming to be speaker backs away from a promised vote on a guest worker program.


Bass Lake courthouse closing down Nov. 30

Sierra Star

The Madera Superior Court, Bass Lake Division, is closing down permanently on Nov. 30, the Madera Superior Court announced Monday.


Morse, McClintock trade jabs on residence, policy in Mariposa debate

Sierra Star

The race for California’s 4th Congressional District seat had its tensions magnified by a somewhat vocal crowd on hand Sunday in Mariposa for the first debate between Rep. Tom McClintock and challenger Jessica Morse.


Will Couch's past come back to haunt him?

Bakersfield Californian

David Couch is hoping voters in the newly formed 4th district Kern County Board of Supervisors will look kindly toward his record in public office.


State:


‘Known abuser’ Kavanaugh cannot be confirmed, #MeToo supporters say at California Capitol

Fresno Bee

Supporters of the #MeToo movement gathered at the California Capitol on Sept. 24, 2018, for a photo to show solidarity with the women who have accused Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault.

See Also:


CA governor race: Gavin Newsom takes on John Cox on abortion

Sacramento Bee

Abortion hasn’t been a high-profile issue in the California governor’s race this year, and that makes sense: Voters here have long supported abortion rights, and a Democratic-controlled Legislature has sought to expand them.


Late entrant to California's gubernatorial race makes her case to young women

Los Angeles Times

In one of her first public appearances since launching​​ her campaign for California governor, Amanda Renteria encouraged a group of more than 100 young women to engage in politics and spoke about her experience as a Latina with political ambitions.


National Voter Registration Day Hosts Events To Expand The Electorate

Capital Public Radio

This week hundreds of events to mark​​ National Voter Registration Day​​ will be held on Tuesday. Mindy Romero from the​​ California Civic Engagement Project​​ joins to preview the events before the midterm elections.


The only Democrat running against a vulnerable California Republican just dropped out of House race

Los Angeles Times

The lone candidate for a U.S House seat out of California that the Democrats consider a prime pickup opportunity for the midterms is ending his congressional bid.

See also:


What Democrats Are Fighting About in California

The New Yorker

California has never been as alienated from political power as it is now, in the first year of the Trump era.​​ 


New hearing date set for Rep. Duncan Hunter, wife in campaign finance scandal case

San Diego Union-Tribune

Rep.​​ Duncan Hunter​​ and his wife, Margaret, are scheduled to be back in court Dec. 3 for a status conference on charges they illegally used more than $250,000 in campaign funds to fund their lavish lifestyles and filed false campaign finance records to cover it up.


My turn: The Legislature confronted California’s new normal

CALmatters

The words “new normal” have been used so many times to describe California’s current experience with catastrophic wildfires that it can’t be new anymore.


Jerry Brown's holy war on Donald Trump

Politico

California has opened a new front in its war on Donald Trump — the Vatican, where Gov. Jerry Brown on Saturday sought to enlist the Catholic Church in his effort to undermine the president’s climate policies abroad.


EDITORIAL: Hate daylight saving time? Here’s why getting rid of it would cost California dearly

Fresno Bee

The idea of doing away with daylight saving time probably sounds like a no-brainer. But there is more to Proposition 7 than meets the sleep-deprived eye, which is why voters should reject the Nov. 6 ballot measure.


EDITORIAL: Worried Sacramento won’t spend your sales taxes wisely? This will help

Sacramento Bee

If Sacramento voters approve Measure U on Nov. 6, 2018, a more powerful and diverse citizens committee will make recommendations on how to spend the sales tax money to further the cause of economic justice.


EDITORIAL: State Sen. Ed Hernandez for lieutenant governor

Los Angeles Times

Of all the statewide elected offices in California, none offers a thinner portfolio of duties than that of lieutenant governor. Ed Hernandez’s expertise is valuable, and the next governor would be wise to avail himself of it.


Federal:


'My fear will not hold me back from testifying' to panel: Kavanaugh accuser​​ ABC30

2nd Kavanaugh accuser came forward only after Dems learned of allegation: Farrow​​ ABC30

See Also:


Deputy AG Rosenstein, who oversees Mueller probe, to meet with Trump on Thursday

ABC30

Rod Rosenstein, Deputy Attorney General, headed to the White House Monday with the expectation that he will be fired but remains in the post, sources told ABC News.

See Also:


Trump says no statehood for Puerto Rico as long as San Juan mayor is in office​​ 

Los Angeles Times

President Trump on Monday declared himself an "absolute no" on statehood for Puerto Rico as long as critics such as San Juan's mayor remain in office, the latest broadside in his feud with members of the U.S. territory's leadership.


Where Paul Ryan's ad money is going

CALmatters

Democratic congressional candidate Katie Hill’s support for the state’s gasoline tax has made her the target of $1.5 million in attack ads by House Speaker Paul Ryan, the California Target Book reports.


Corruption in Washington Is a Top Concern for Voters, WSJ/NBC News Poll Shows

WSJ

A new wall street journal/nbc news poll shows an overwhelming majority of voters said corruption and malfeasance in the federal government was a top issue—and of those, more than half want Democrats to control Congress.


What to expect from the 2018 midterm elections

Brookings

Launching a new Brookings video series dedicated to examining the key issues shaping the 2018 U.S. elections, Elaine Kamarck shares two historical truths about midterms and warns that Democrats may be heading into November with excessive confidence.  


GOP sees highest favorability in seven years

CNN

Just less than half of Americans -- 45% -- said they have a favorable view of the Republican party, according to a Gallup poll released Monday.​​ 


Obama delivers veiled rebuke to Trump in Mandela address

APnews

In his highest profile speech since leaving office, former U.S. President Barack Obama on Tuesday denounced the policies of President Donald Trump without mentioning his name, taking aim at the “politics of fear, resentment, retrenchment,” and decrying leaders who are caught lying and “just double down and lie some more.”

Trump embraces longtime US foe Putin, doubting own intel

APnews

In an extraordinary embrace of a longtime U.S. enemy, President Donald Trump on Monday openly questioned his own intelligence agencies’ firm finding that Russia meddled in the 2016 U.S. election to his benefit, seeming to accept Russian President Vladimir Putin’s insistence that Moscow’s hands were clean.

See also:

Analysis: Trump’s ‘America First’ morphs into ‘Me First’

APnews

Donald Trump’s “America First” slogan morphed into “Me First” as the president unloaded on the U.S. intelligence community and Justice Department to portray himself as the victim of a conspiracy to deny him legitimacy. Trump also blamed American “foolishness and stupidity” for the poor state of U.S.-Russia relations, returning to themes he has repeated at political rallies around the United States.


Who Sought ‘Back Channel’ Meeting for Trump and Putin, Is Charged as Russian Agent

The New York Times

A Russian woman who tried to broker a secret meeting between Donald J. Trump and the Russian president, Vladimir V. Putin, during the 2016 presidential campaign was charged​​ Monday and accused of working with Americans to carry out a secret Russian effort to influence American politics.


What’s happened to the truth under President Trump?

PBS NewsHour

In just the last few weeks, President Trump has made a number of misleading or inaccurate statements on subjects ranging from Russian interference, to farmers and trade, to NATO defense.​​ 


Other:


‘Bestiality, beheadings, suicide:’ Graphic content gave Facebook moderator PTSD, lawsuit says

Fresno Bee

A California Facebook contractor who moderated graphic, violent posts says her job gave her post-traumatic stress disorder and that Facebook did little to protect her, per a lawsuit filed in San Mateo.

See Also:


San Francisco federal judge receives nation’s highest professional honor

San Francisco Chronicle

U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer, who has presided over the nationwide Volkswagen pollution-device settlement and a major San Francisco corruption case during 21 years on the bench, has been chosen to receive the annual Devitt Award, the nation’s highest honor for a federal judge.


How to Renew Our Civic Culture

National Review

We need less shaming and more thinking, less tribalism and moralism, and more community and ethics.


The Entitlement Crisis Is Looming

The Weekly Standard

Who says there is no bipartisanship in the age of Trump? When it comes to federal deficits and debt, the parties have never been more aligned.


How the Right Wing Convinces Itself That Liberals Are Evil

Washington Monthly

Since the 1950s, the conservative movement has justified bad behavior—including supporting Donald Trump—by persuading itself that the left is worse.


Military worship hurts US democracy

Brookings

The myth that military service is superior to all other civic duties is eroding faith in the national security expertise of America’s civilian leaders, warn former Department of Defense officials Mara Karlin and Alice Hunt Friend.


At least 36% of largest US newspapers have had layoffs since 2017

Pew Research Center

Newspaper layoffs have far from abated in the past year, and digital-native news outlets are also suffering losses, according to a new Pew Research Center analysis.

See also:



AGRICULTURE/FOOD


Valley raisin growers could get highest price in industry history

Fresno Bee

With dwindling acreage and intense competition from other crops, Fresno County raisin farmers are negotiating what could be the highest price ever for their crop.​​ 


Merced soccer center used by thousands to close. Will grow, distribute weed, owner says

Fresno Bee

The Merced Indoor Sports Center was recently approved as a site to grow, manufacture and distribute cannabis, according to city records. The plans have upset parents who say closing the center is a problem in a town of few recreational options for children.


Worth noting: Supervisors to hear report on marijuana ballot measures Tuesday

Bakersfield Californian​​ 

The Kern County Board of Supervisors is scheduled to hear a report on the two marijuana ballot measures to be decided during November’s election during their Tuesday afternoon meeting.


Poll: Legal Marijuana Support At Record High In U.S.

Forbes

The 64% of Americans who say cannabis should be legal in a​​ new Gallup poll​​ released on Wednesday represents the highest level of support in the organization's 48 years of polling on the topic.


California Fruit Will ‘Die on the Vine’ After ICE Raids, Labor Warns

Bloomberg

The arrest was one of hundreds in a flurry of raids this week across the state as part of the Trump administration’s crackdown on undocumented immigrants.


As aid checks go out, farmers worry bailout won’t be enough

APnews

Farmers across the United States will soon begin receiving government checks as part of a billion-dollar bailout to buoy growers experiencing financial strain from President Donald Trump’s trade disputes with China.


CRIMINAL JUSTICE / FIRE / PUBLIC SAFETY

Crime:


Ex-Gustine High student arrested in school shooting threat on Facebook, police say

Merced Sun-Star

19-year-old former Gustine High School student who was previously convicted of threatening a school officer was arrested Friday after posting a photo of Florida school shooter Nikolas Cruz with comments investigators described as threatening, according to Gustine Police.


Should police be forced to release body cam videos? Gov. Brown must decide

San Francisco Chronicle

Assembly Bill 748 would require that police departments release footage within 45 days of shootings as well as use-of-force incidents that result in death or serious injury to the public, unless they file a written notice explaining why such a move would “substantially interfere” with an investigation.


How a list of 23 crimes now dominates California's debate over prison punishment

Los Angeles Times

California has a long history of mixing crime and punishment with raw politics. But outrage doesn't always translate into coherent policy, and unintended consequences can spark even more public anger.


Public Safety:


Fernie Espinosa, first Hispanic Fresno Police officer, dies at age 101

Vida en el Valle

Fernie Espinosa – the first Latino to serve as a Fresno police officer when he joined the force on Dec. 10, 1945 – packed a lifetime of action into his 101 years.


Stockton police receive three bids for first helicopter

Recordnet.com

Three aircraft manufacturers have shown interest in providing the Stockton Police Department with its first helicopter.


Science Provides Few Facts On Effects Of Gun Policies, Report Finds

Capital Public Radio

The nonprofit RAND Corporation analyzed thousands of studies and found only 63 that establish a causal relationship between specific gun policies and outcomes such as reductions in homicide and suicide, leaving lawmakers without clear facts about one of the most divisive issues in American politics.


Vulnerable lawmakers answer a noisy gun debate with silence

AP News

They crowded around the White House conference table this past week, lawmakers from California, Connecticut, Texas and Florida, eager to share their state's painful experience with gun violence.


Fire:​​ 


Oak Fire holds at 390 acres overnight, almost half contained

Fresno 2

Cal Fire are battling a fire just three miles north of Oakhurst causing an evacuation of the area.

See Also:


Racing to prevent fire

Sierra Star

The 31st annual Smokey Bear Run/Walk brought adults and children to Bass Lake’s Recreation Point on the morning of Sept. 22 to exercise in support of fire prevention.


Dangerous fire conditions spark red flag warnings across Northern California

San Francisco Chronicle

Low humidity and breezy conditions prompted National Weather Service forecasters to issue red flag alerts warning of dangerous fire conditions through Tuesday evening in the East Bay and North Bay hills.


ECONOMY / JOBS

Economy:


Mission Bank bridges gap to Stockton

Bakersfield Californian

Mission Bank is making its biggest-ever geographical leap, jumping clear across the San Joaquin Valley to open a business banking center in Stockton that will serve farmers and other businesses in communities including Lodi, Manteca and Tracy.


Stocks dip on tariff fears as oil prices surge to 4-year high​​ 

Los Angeles Times

Global stocks took small losses Monday after China reportedly pulled out of trade talks with the U.S. Industrial companies and banks suffered some of the worst declines among American stocks.


Where CA's real money comes from

CALmatters

California’s biggest source of income tax revenue is in Silicon Valley,​​ The Los Angeles Times reports, detailing the hard numbers behind California’s budget.

 

California Leads U.S. Economy, Away From Trump

Bloomberg

Whatever the president says, this state does the opposite. It's working.


A Twist in the U.S. Tariff Battle: ‘It’s Helping China Be More Competitive’

WSJ

There is an unintended consequence of the White House’s trade battle with China: Companies in the Pearl River Delta, the center of China’s manufacturing might, are accelerating toward making higher-quality products to compete against American goods.

See also:

 

Trump Pursues Trade Deals in Asia, Europe Amid Frostiness With China

WSJ

The White House is taking steps to show it wants to preserve and expand trade—albeit on its own terms

See also:


Trump's speech to truck drivers proves the GOP's economic policy is stuck in the past

The Week

It was a smart idea for President Trump to give an "economic revival" speech containing an opening shout-out to the U.S. trucking industry, as he did Wednesday in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.


U.S. Treasury moves to protect identities of 'dark money' political donors​​ 

Reuters

The U.S. Treasury said on Monday that it will no longer require certain tax-exempt organizations including politically active nonprofit groups, such as the National Rifle Association and Planned Parenthood, to identify their financial donors to U.S. tax authorities.


Deficit Laden Federal Finances Stir Uncertainty for Future State Aid

Route Fifty

With the federal budget deficit on track to exceed $800 billion when the nation’s fiscal year concludes at the end of this month, observers continue to question how much state and local governments will be able to depend on help from Washington in the years ahead.


Jobs:


Jobs report: Fresno ranks third for pharmacist hiring nationwide

ABC30

Fresno has risen to third place among U.S. cities in hiring for​​ pharmacists, tied with Dallas, Texas, according to new positions posted last month on jobs site​​ Glassdoor.


Sources: Outside company intends to take over Buckman-Mitchell

Visalia Times Delta

Like Visalia's Fox Theater, Buckman-Mitchell Insurance is a name synonymous with the 168-year-old city where it is headquartered.​​ 


Hotel Workers Fret Over a New Rival: Alexa at the Front Desk

The New York Times

The bosses haven’t yet introduced facial recognition technology at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel. But from her perch behind the front desk at the pink neo-Moorish palace overlooking Waikiki Beach, Jean Te’o-Gibney can see it coming.


Building America’s water workforce

Brookings

Associate Fellow​​ Joseph Kane​​ discusses his research on the 1.7 million people who work on America’s water infrastructure and the future challenges and opportunities that workforce faces.


Janus v. AFSCME: Public Unions Should Be Destroyed

National Review

First, the state creates a monopoly. The monopoly forces taxpayers to fund those workers, whether they do a good job or not. The union then coerces workers to pay dues regardless of whether or not they want to. Then the union uses those dues to help fund political advocacy that perpetuates their monopoly and the union’s influence. So, in other words: racketeering.


In a switch, Democrats and unions cheer Trump while GOP frets

PBS NewsHour

Few issues could blur the lines of partisanship in Trump-era Washington. Trade is one of them.


The destructive path of protectionism

AEI

Two companies that make solar panels are asking the government to protect them from foreign competition. They want the government to put taxes and a price floor on imports. Other companies are warning that these policies would raise prices and shrink the market, eliminating jobs for solar-panel installers, manufacturers of mounting equipment, and other parts of the larger solar industry. They say as many as​​ 88,000 jobs​​ are at risk.


EDUCATION


K-12:


Donation of coffee and doughnuts for Turlock mayor’s speech brings heartburn

Modesto Bee​​ 

The Turlock school district apparently has placed its longtime child nutrition director on leave while it looks into his donation of nearly $134 in coffee and doughnuts to his son the mayor’s State of the City Address.


Yosemite Unified receives Madera County schools superintendent approval of budget

Sierra Star

The Madera County schools superintendent approved the Yosemite Unified School District’s adopted budget and Local Control and Accountability Plan in a letter to board president Tammy Loveland dated Sept. 13, 2018.


Here are some of the school board races on ballot

Bakersfield Californian

Here’s a look at some of the other school board races that will be on the November ballot.

See also:


Prison Officers’ Union Jumps Into Race For Schools Chief

Capital Public Radio

In a departure from its usual pattern of campaign giving, the union representing California's prison officers has emerged as a player in the race for the state schools chief, disclosing a $500,000 expenditure.


Interdistrict transfers for bullied kids could become easier in California

CALmatters

Last year’s​​ bill​​ would have made it easier for all 3.6 million students from low-income families to transfer to another district, by prohibiting the family’s home district from denying the request if the chosen district accepts the student.


There are ways to make schools safer and teachers stronger—but they don’t involve guns

Brookings

Last week, in the wake of the Parkland, Fla., shooting, President Trump called for arming teachers with guns to deter potential perpetrators of future mass shootings in schools. With a tweet last Thursday and a speech last Friday at the Conservative Political Action Conference, he endorsed the idea of getting the most gun-adept teachers trained to carry in the classroom


Bill Gates Is Investing $1.7 Billion in U.S. Public Schools

Fortune

The world’s richest man is doubling down on the U.S. public education system.


Higher Ed:


Fresno State wins national honor for Excellence in Diversity

Fresno State

Fresno State received the 2018 Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine, one of the oldest and largest diversity-focused publications in higher education.

Here’s why the Attorney General was in Merced today meeting with DACA students​​ 

Modesto Bee​​ 

Five UC Merced graduate students who are DACA recipients had Attorney General Xavier Becerra’s ear as they shared what it’s like living in an America where their education and livelihoods could be stripped away by the federal government.

See also:


Apprenticeships:

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ENVIRONMENT/ ENERGY

Environment:


National parks bearing brunt of climate change, scientists find

San Francisco Chronicle

National parks, which were designed to set aside and protect the most pristine spots in the U.S., are being hit disproportionately by climate change, a new study finds.

See also:


Insurance needs reform in California’s changing climate

San Francisco Chronicle

With unprecedented wildfires, stronger and less predictable storm events, increased flooding, and sea level rise, Californians rely on the insurance industry to protect them from the threats of climate change and to be a partner in proactive solutions.


GOP scrambles to reform Endangered Species Act before midterms

TheHill

With the looming threat of Democrats retaking the House in November, several Republicans are focusing their legislative efforts on making long-sought changes to the Endangered Species Act (ESA).


Towns Pick Up the Tab for U.S. Forest Service Staff

PEW center

The most popular hiking trail in one of Colorado’s most-visited vacation towns snakes up a narrow valley through quivering aspen and fragrant pine trees. The views are picture-perfect in the wilderness area here — though on a summer weekend, it can be hard to take a photo that crops out the crowds.


Energy:


If California wants to go carbon-free, it needs to end its nuclear moratorium​​ 

Los Angeles Times

A new state law signed this month, SB 100, requires all of California’s electricity to come from zero-carbon sources by 2045. Many news reports advertised the law as a mandate for renewable energy, but lawmakers in Sacramento quietly acknowledged that the state may need more than wind turbines, solar panels and hydroelectric dams to meet its climate goals.


SLO wants to be carbon-neutral 10 years faster than the rest of California

San Luis Obispo Tribune​​ 

The City Council wants San Luis Obispo to be carbon-neutral by 2035, an ambitious target that’s 10 years earlier than Gov. Jerry Brown’s statewide goal of 2045.


A Hot, Smoggy Pickup-Truck Capital Opens Trump Tailpipe Debate

Bloomberg

To test how Americans feel about its plan for rolling back car and truck pollution standards, the Trump administration kicked off an initial​​ public hearing​​ on Monday in Fresno, California, a place where it might reasonably expect a friendly response.


HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES

Health:


Company makes second massive drug recall in 8 days for possible microbial contamination

Fresno Bee

All lots and expiration dates of Ocean Saline Nasal Spray have been recalled for a possible microbial combination, according to an announcement by Publix. Walmart, Walgreens, Amazon and others also sell the spray.


Have varicose veins? Your height might have something to do with it, study says

Modesto Bee​​ 

A Stanford University study on varicose vein risk factors used an algorithm to find that being tall is a likely cause. Circulation, a journal, published the study, which also said age and being a woman heighten risk.


As Concussion Concerns Grow, CDC Issues New Guidelines For Treating Student Athletes With Head Injuries

Capital Public Radio

As California schools change youth sports protocols to prevent concussions, doctors are also taking a closer look at how to treat these injuries in kids.


Here's What You Need To Know About Prostate Cancer

Capital Public Radio

September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. Urological oncologist Dr. David Javidan and Spencer Le Gate join us to talk about the latest research and treatments.


West Nile virus kills at least 4 in California, health officials say

Los Angeles Times

At least four people in California have died of West Nile virus this year, state health officials said.


FDA approves better vaccine against painful shingles virus

AP

In a story Oct. 20 about U.S. approval of GlaxoSmithKline’s shingles vaccine, The Associated Press reported erroneously that the drugmaker is testing its new vaccine against an older one sold by Merck & Co. The study is being conducted by University of Colorado researchers; Glaxo is providing its vaccine for the research.


The Homeless Get Sick; ‘Street Medicine’ Is There for Them

PEW center

Toting a huge olive-green backpack stuffed with medical supplies, physician assistant Joel Hunt pushes through a dense cluster of woods less than two miles from downtown Fort Worth. He approaches a suspended tarp that serves as a makeshift tent, peeking inside at an elderly woman who was evicted from her home nearly eight months ago.


Human Services:


Why it could cost more to adopt a new friend from Stanislaus County Animal Services

Modesto Bee​​ 

Proposed fees would push up the cost of getting a rabies shot for your dog in Stanislaus County.  Higher fees for adopting a dog and surrendering a pet to the Stanislaus Animal Services Agency also could be approved by county supervisors Tuesday.


Tulare hospital board bickers over $85M audit

Visalia Times-Delta

After debate, bickering and even a warning from attorneys, Tulare Regional Medical Center board approved an audit into the handling of the $85 million general obligation bond passed to build the expansion tower.


How California surgery centers are accredited might surprise you. A look at one Rancho Mirage surgeon

Desert Sun

The Facebook page for Dr. Rim Marcinkus’ Desert Plastic Surgery Center in Rancho Mirage is packed with images of patients. Each is photographed twice: First, before a nose job or facelift and second, good as new, after the face has healed.


Hiltzik: California moves against unlicensed stem-cell treatments — but is it doing enough?

Los Angeles Times

On Oct. 2, California took a major step to address an emerging public health crisis. That’s the day Gov. Jerry Brown signed a law imposing the first regulations in the country aimed at direct-to-consumer marketing of unlicensed, unproven — and sometimes disproven — stem cell “treatments.”


Medicare open enrollment: Beware of these two major traps

CBS News

What's good about reaching age 65? For one thing, many older workers celebrate attaining Medicare eligibility, since they can obtain much-needed health insurance without worrying about exclusions for pre-existing conditions.​​ 


Most Hospital ERs Won’t Treat Your Addiction. These Will.

PEW​​ 

For Dr. Zachary Dezman, an emergency physician in this heroin-plagued city, there’s no question that offering addiction medicine to emergency room patients is the right thing to do.


IMMIGRATION


Here’s why the Attorney General was in Merced today meeting with DACA students​​ 

Modesto Bee​​ 

Five UC Merced graduate students who are DACA recipients had Attorney General Xavier Becerra’s ear as they shared what it’s like living in an America where their education and livelihoods could be stripped away by the federal government.

See also:


Border Patrol launches Operation Blazing Sands in California desert

San Diego Union-Tribune

Just east of border fence construction that has been visited by both the vice president and the homeland security secretary, Border Patrol launched Operation Blazing Sands last month to deter illegal border crossings and thwart human smuggling attempts.


With refugee resettlement at a historic low, California’s melting pot is slowly changing

East Bay Times

Just two years ago, California took in nearly 7,000 refugees, a testament to the reputation of this state — and the country — as a mecca for beleaguered people from all over the world.


21st-century immigrants are increasingly Asian and college-educated

Brookings

The foreign-born share of the U.S. population has reached its highest level in 107 years, but the most recent arrivals—many college-educated, from Asian countries, and settling in Trump states—defy common assertions about immigration in America.


Drop in Mexican-Born Immigrants Attributed to Hostility Here, Opportunity There

PEW center

New Census figures show the number of Mexican immigrants living in the United States dropped more last year than at any point in the past decade, a plunge that came as the Trump administration took power and made the deportation of unauthorized immigrants a top priority.


LAND USE/HOUSING


Land Use:


Outside company intends to take over Buckman-Mitchell

Visalia Times-Delta

Like Visalia's Fox Theater, Buckman-Mitchell Insurance is a name synonymous with the 168-year-old city where it is headquartered.​​ 


Housing:


California’s boondoggles threaten property owners and taxpayers

Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association

One would hope that with the profound foolishness associated with California’s infamous High Speed Rail (HSR) project that our elected leadership would have learned a thing or two.


PUBLIC FINANCES


California Gas Tax Divides Democrats Trying to Flip U.S. House

Bloomberg

Some Democratic congressional candidates in competitive California races are bucking state party leaders and distancing themselves from an unpopular gas tax that Republicans are using against them in the November election campaign.

See also:


New tax law prompting flood of accelerated divorces as Dec. 31 deadline looms

San Diego Union-Tribune

Attorneys and judges are scrambling to finalize a flood of accelerated divorces prompted by new federal tax laws that eliminate the spousal support deduction starting Jan. 1.


Census-Related Funding in California

PPIC
In the most recent year for which an estimate is available (2015), California received about $77 billion in census-related funding—more than 80% of the total federal funds the state received that year.


California’s boondoggles threaten property owners and taxpayers

Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association

One would hope that with the profound foolishness associated with California’s infamous High Speed Rail (HSR) project that our elected leadership would have learned a thing or two.


What's in the House tax bill for people

Money CNN

A rundown of key provisions that would affect individuals.

See also:


Janus v. AFSCME: Public Unions Should Be Destroyed

National Review

First, the state creates a monopoly. The monopoly forces taxpayers to fund those workers, whether they do a good job or not. The union then coerces workers to pay dues regardless of whether or not they want to. Then the union uses those dues to help fund political advocacy that perpetuates their monopoly and the union’s influence. So, in other words: racketeering.


Listen to the full interview: Treasury Secretary Mnuchin at UCLA​​ 

Marketplace

Marketplace host Kai Ryssdal's full interview with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, along with the audience Q&A session, conducted at the UCLA Burkle Center for International Relations in Los Angeles on Feb. 26.


Nearly Two-Thirds of Americans Can't Pass a Basic Test of Financial Literacy

Time

Quick: If you take out a $1000 loan that has a 20% rate, how much will you owe a year in interest?


In Tax-Free States, Businesses Squirm at Collecting Online Sales Taxes for Others

PEW center

The “Live Free or Die” state of New Hampshire is also the “Live Sales-Tax Free” state, one of only five that do not collect any tax on retail purchases. And despite a U.S. Supreme Court ruling in June allowing states to collect sales taxes when their residents buy online, some of New Hampshire’s online retailers don’t want to help other states collect their money.


TRANSPORTATION


‘There is nothing safe about this proposal.’ California leaders vow to fight EPA

Fresno Bee

California’s leading air pollution enforcers and the state’s attorney general vowed to fight the Trump Administration’s proposed lessening of vehicle emission rules during a public hearing in Fresno on Monday.

See Also:

Proposition 6 gas tax repeal draws opposition from CA leaders

Sacramento Bee

No politician would ever promise to make our commutes longer. No voters beg for more crowded highways. Everybody hates traffic. The question is what should we do about it?

See also:


Poor roads make vehicles work harder than they should

Fresno Bee

California is in a fight over fuel economy with Washington. But what California state officials and its drivers don’t realize is the quality of the state’s roads has an important impact the amount of fuel we use.

See Also:


Think your commute is bad? These Central Valley residents have it worse than almost anyone in U.S.

Fresno Bee

Roughly 21 percent of Los Banos workers have at a least a 90-minute ride to and from work, the highest percentage in the nation, according to a McClatchy analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data for cities with at least 5,000 employed workers.


High-speed rail project sees temporary leadership change

Yourcentralvalley.com

California’s project to build a high-speed train from Los Angeles to San Francisco is temporarily getting new leadership.


Sacramento Delegation In Germany This Week Meeting With Auto Tech Industry

Capital Public Radio

A group of Sacramento delegates is headed to Germany today, but not for Oktoberfest. They're meeting with German auto-tech companies this week.


Finally, California DMV to be audited. Here's a brief history of its problems.

San Diego Union-Tribune

The last straw for the California DMV came Friday when Gov.​​ Jerry Brown​​ finally ordered an audit of the motor vehicle agency to look into its performance issues and how it spends its money.


The Most Dangerous Place to Bicycle in America

WSJ

Trung Huynh used a marked crosswalk with flashing yellow lights when he rode his bike across busy, six-lane Park Boulevard in Pinellas Park, Fla., one morning in June.


GM settles California suit over alleged defects concealment

AP

General Motors has agreed to a $13.9 million settlement with Orange County, California, after prosecutors accused the auto giant of concealing serious safety defects to avoid costly recalls and part replacements.


WATER


A Delta farmer says the state poisoned his crops. Is California’s water supply safe?

Fresno Bee

A farmer in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta alleges in a pending lawsuit that California’s weed killing program tainted his water supply and killed his bell pepper crops. The farmer’s allegations raises new question about the state spraying herbicides such as Roundup and fluridone to treat aquatic weeds.


Los Angeles reduces Eastern Sierra water deliveries because of climate change. At risk, ranchers say, is a way of life

Los Angeles Times

Citing climate change, LADWP this year shifted its irrigation policy, saying ranchers who lease grazing areas on its 6,400 acres near Crowley Lake should no longer bank on the promise of ample water when they renew.


California's Looming Water Pollution Problem

Pacific Standard

In California's Central Valley, the oil industry has been dumping wastewater into unlined—and under-regulated—ponds, threatening the state's limited groundwater and the humans who rely on it.


What Motivates People to Use Less Water?

PPIC
During a drought, households can be inundated by messages to conserve water. We talked to Katrina Jessoe—an economist at UC Davis and a member of the PPIC Water Policy Center’s research network―about new research on what motivates people to conserve water.


“Xtra”


Runners pay tribute to Clovis school administrator, saying he was ‘everybody’s friend’

Fresno Bee

Exactly one week after a popular elementary school administrator died in a hit-and-run accident on Friant Road on the outskirts of northeast Fresno, the running community paid tribute to Gavin Gladding by jogging 2.25 miles and observing a moment of silence at 5:57 a.m. Sunday outside Fort Washington Elementary School.


These Saroyan plays have not been seen before. See the unpublished works on stage now

Fresno Bee

William Saroyan was ahead of his time, writing about the challenge of diaspora and immigrant life in America. Which gives his work significance, even close to 40 years years after his death.


Clovis gets a new taqueria: Vampiro tacos (yes, vampire) and mulas

Fresno Bee

Although Fresno has a long history of being a hotbed for taco trucks and taquerias, Clovis is ready to embrace the taco culture.​​ 


The eighth annual Taco Truck Throwdown brings thousands to Chukchansi Park

Fresno Bee

Dubbed "The Ocho," the eighth annual Taco Truck Throwdown at the Fresno Tacos game gave visitors more than 30 taco trucks to taste from. On Friday, another taco truck event will feature The World Taco Eating Championship as well as DJ Quik and Ayala.

Petting zoo lets Kern County get up close and personal to a wide variety of the animal kingdom

Bakersfield Californian

While Ferris wheels and concerts may attract much of the attention at the Kern County Fair, some four-legged creatures tucked away in small pens have garnered their own following.


Rock Climbing, Best Campgrounds, L.A. Shopping​​ 

Visit California​​ 

In January 2014, the world watched as Kevin Jorgeson and his climbing partner Tommy Caldwell made history as the first free climbers to summit Yosemite’s Dawn Wall.​​ 


Stockton Art Scene: Something for everyone during a busy month

Stockton Record

Recent and upcoming art happenings in Stockton.