September 27, 2018

27Sep

POLICY & POLITICS

 

Valley:

 

Does Valadao challenger TJ Cox actually live in Maryland? Documents seem to say so

Fresno Bee

TJ Cox, the Fresno Democrat running for Congress against Hanford Republican David Valadao, owns a home in Bethesda, Maryland, that he claims in property tax records as his principal residence.

 

Devin Nunes’ Democratic opponent says he can win

San Francisco Chronicle

Democrat Andrew Janz is confident he’s well on the way to defeating eight-term Central Valley Republican Rep. Devin Nunes, a favorite of President Trump. Now he has to convince Democratic Party leaders.

 

Courthouse at Bass Lake set to close

Madera Tribune

The Bass Lake courthouse will be closed permanently on Nov. 30. The building currently housing the Bass Lake courthouse has many deficiencies, and no funds are available to remodel the building to meet the basic needs of the court, the public, and court staff.

 

DA's office presses for release of memo Leticia Perez has claimed cleared her of a conflict of interest

Bakersfield Californian

District Attorney Lisa Green has asked the Kern County Board of Supervisors to compel County Counsel Mark Nations to turn over a memo he drafted to Supervisor Leticia Perez that she has claimed cleared her of a conflict of interest to vote on a cannabis issue before the board.

 

November Election Is First Test Of New Kern County District Lines, Latino Vote

VPR

November’s election marks the first time some people in Kern County will vote for their county supervisor since the redistricting of county lines.

 

City: Measure A didn’t pay for new City Hall

Stockton Record

While funds from Measure A have contributed somewhat to the purchase of Stockton’s new City Hall, officials say the revenue from the 2013 ballot measure was not directly involved with the transaction.

 

WATCH: Shannon Grove, 16th State Senate District Candidate.

Bakersfield Californian

Shannon Grove, 16th State Senate District Candidate.

 

WATCH: Justin Mendes, 32 Assembly District candidate.

Bakersfield Californian

Justin Mendes, 32 Assembly District candidate.

 

WATCH: Rudy Salas, 32 Assembly District candidate.

Bakersfield Californian

Rudy Salas, 32 Assembly District candidate.

 

State:

 

PPIC Statewide Survey: Californians and Their Government

PPIC

The PPIC Statewide Survey delivers objective, advocacy-free information on the perceptions, opinions, and public policy preferences of California residents.

 

Governor Brown Issues Legislative Update

Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr.

Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today announced that he has signed bills.

 

California Today: Gavin Newsom Looks to Sacramento

The New York Times

Gavin Newsom made a national name for himself as mayor of San Francisco when he endorsed gay marriage, going against the federal government and his own Democratic Party. Then he became California’s lieutenant governor, a position that has given him little authority but plenty of time to prepare for the job he wants next: governor.

 

For Gavin Newsom, a Stealth Run for California Governor

The New York Times

He may seem hesitant to say it, but Gavin Newsom wants your vote for governor of California. Really.

 

Newsom trounces Cox in money race

CALmatters

Democrat Gavin Newsom’s lead over Republican John Cox narrowed in the race for governor in the Public Policy Institute of California’s latest poll.

 

Yes, we all hate daylight saving time, but Proposition 7 isn't the answer

Bakersfield Californian

This fall Californians will vote on dozens of very important, semi-important and marginally important political races and issues. They will, for example, elect a governor, reconstitute the state's Congressional delegation and decide whether to fund an $8.9 billion water bond.

 

Maybe there’s a U.S. Senate race after all

CALmatters

U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein took a lot of heat from the left wing of her Democratic Party by adopting a somewhat conciliatory attitude toward Donald Trump during the first year of his presidency.

See also:

       It's a shame if this election means adiós for Kevin De León Los Angeles Times

 

Federal:

 

Trump, L.A. attorney Avenatti trade angry tweets after new Kavanaugh rape allegation

Fresno Bee

California attorney Michael Avenatti, who represents adult film star Stormy Daniels against President Donald Trump, traded barbs with Trump on Twitter after a third woman came forward to allege sexual misconduct by Brett Kavanaugh.

See Also:

      Lindsey Graham is on the warpath to get Kavanaugh confirmed Fresno Bee

      Mississippi’s Hyde-Smith: ‘I believe Judge Kavanaugh’ Fresno Bee

      Christine Blasey Ford releases full statement ahead of Senate Judiciary hearing ABC30

      Third woman makes sexual misconduct allegation against Kavanaugh ABC30

      What Kavanaugh's hearing may mean for Republicans fighting to keep a majority ABC30

      Kavanaugh opening statement: 'Effort to destroy my good name will not drive me out' ABC30

      Trump rejects FBI investigation into allegations against Kavanaugh ABC30

      Third woman makes sexual misconduct allegations about Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh Visalia Times-Delta

      Third Kavanaugh accuser submits sexual misconduct allegation to Senate panel Hanford Sentinel

      Third Kavanaugh accuser submits allegation to Senate panel Stockton Record

      Third Kavanaugh accuser on eve of dramatic hearing Sacramento Bee

      Kavanaugh to tell senators he is the victim of ‘grotesque’ character assassination Sacramento Bee

      Trump Says Allegations Against Kavanaugh Are A 'Big Fat Con' Capital Public Radio

      Kavanaugh accuser Ford: 'I thought that Brett was accidentally going to kill me' Los Angeles Times
      A third woman accuses Brett Kavanaugh of sexual misconduct Los Angeles Times

      Key passages from Julie Swetnick's declaration alleging sexual misconduct against Brett Kavanaugh Los Angeles Times

      Despite his 'con job' bravado, Trump gave himself wiggle room to cut Kavanaugh loose Los Angeles Times

      Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee have a problem: They're all men  Los Angeles Times

      Things to watch for when Kavanaugh and Ford testify Los Angeles Times

      Why don't women come forward? Talking about sexual assault is excruciating and people don't want to hear it Los Angeles Times

      Kavanaugh fending off 3rd accusation San Francisco Chronicle

      What to watch for in Brett Kavanaugh-Christine Blasey Ford hearing San Francisco Chronicle

      Kavanaugh, Ford spell out Senate testimony San Francisco Chronicle

      AZ prosecutor to question Kavanaugh accuser San Francisco Chronicle

      Kavanaugh hearing: Christine Blasey Ford gives Senate testimony about sexual assault allegation The Washington Post

      Feinstein: Kavanaugh misled about grand jury secrecy in Vince Foster probe Politico

      The New Kind of Fury Unleashed by the Kavanaugh Fight WSJ

      How Kavanaugh's Confirmation Process Might Impact Future Confirmations WSJ

      Partisan Bias, Motivated Reasoning, and the Debate Over the Kavanaugh Nomination Reason

      The Rush to Judgment on Kavanaugh Is the Ultimate ‘Con Job’ Roll Call

      The Attack on Kavanaugh Is Un-American WSJ

      Democrats Disgrace the Senate WSJ

      Sen. Feinstein, Clean Up Your Mess WSJ

      EDITORIAL: Kangaroo court for Kavanaugh charges San Francisco Chronicle

 

Trump slams China for trying to meddle in upcoming midterms

ABC30

President Donald Trump on Wednesday opened his United Nations Security Council speech by taking a shot at China, claiming, without providing evidence, that it's trying to meddle in the upcoming midterm elections.

See Also:

      Trump 'didn't expect' to get laughed at while speaking at the UN ABC30

      Trump to world leaders: China out to meddle in 2018 election Bakersfield Californian

      Trump denounced 'globalism' at the U.N. — but what does that word really mean? Los Angeles Times

      Without evidence, Trump accuses China of interfering in U.S. midterm elections Washington Post

      Trump Accuses China of Trying to Interfere in U.S. Elections WSJ

 

Trump says Rod Rosenstein should stay in his Justice Department job

Los Angeles Times

Two days after Deputy Atty. Gen. Rod Rosenstein appeared to be on the verge of getting fired, President Trump said he would like to keep him as the Justice Department’s second-in-command.

 

Maxine Waters is one of Trump's fiercest critics. She'll get a powerful new platform if Democrats take the House

Los Angeles Times

Rep. Maxine Waters has tried for months to get a House committee chairman to subpoena documents from Deutsche Bank about Russian money laundering and the finances of President Trump and his family.

 

With growing support from women, Democrats poised for major gains in midterm, new poll shows

Los Angeles Times

Boosted by growing support among suburban women and widespread antipathy toward President Trump, Democrats approach the midterm election poised to make major gains nationwide, a new USC Dornsife/Los Angeles Times Poll shows.

See also:

       The Midterms  California Sunday Magazine

       Republicans can thank Trump for highly motivated Democratic voters  Brookings

 

Why Did the Democrats Lose the South?

AEA

A long-standing debate in political economy is whether voters are driven primarily by economic self-interest or by less pecuniary motives like ethnocentrism. Using newly available data, we reexamine one of the largest partisan shifts in a modern democracy: Southern whites' exodus from the Democratic Party.

 

White House Aims to Raise Pressure on Canada With Mexico-Only Nafta Draft

WSJ

The Trump administration plans to step up pressure on Canada by publishing this week the draft of a new North American Free Trade Agreement that includes only the U.S. and Mexico, while telling Congress the move is part of a broader strategy involving new trade talks with a list of countries likely to include Japan, Europe, the Philippines, and the U.K., according to people familiar with the plans.

 

Other:

 

He went to jail to protect a confidential source. His legacy changed journalism

Fresno Bee

William “Bill” Patterson of Fresno, jailed in 1976 when he was a reporter for The Fresno Bee as part of “The Bee Four” for not revealing a confidential source, died Sunday at age 91. California’s shield law protecting journalists increased after his imprisonment.

 

Tech Executives Warn of Overregulation in Privacy Push

WSJ

Lawmakers said there is growing consensus on the need for legislation to strengthen online users’ privacy, but a hearing Wednesday highlighted potential disagreements on what exactly a bill should aim to do.

 

AGRICULTURE/FOOD

 

Sun-Maid strike ends after 15 days, new contract effective immediately

Fresno Bee

Two weeks after walking off the job, striking Sun-Maid workers approved a new contract and will be headed back to work.

See Also:

      Sun-Maid workers back to work after reaching contract agreement ABC30

 

THE DISH: It's 'The Good Place,' good apples in this week's local food news

Bakersfield Californian

If you're like Jason on NBC's "The Good Place," you're not scared of any burrito but you should be excited about one come Thursday

 

Meet the newest recruits in California’s war on climate change: carbon farmers

CALmatters

Loren Poncia’s idling pickup shudders in a powerful gust of afternoon wind in western Marin County. Inside the warm cab, he scans the sun-browned hills through his binoculars, counting his grazing cows. Poncia raises beef cattle. As he sees it, though, what he is really doing is raising soil.

 

Farmers Say Aid Won’t Cover Tariff Damage

WSJ

The Trump administration has started compensating U.S. farmers for damage tariffs are doing to their business.

 

Can you grow pot legally in Fresno? Only if it’s indoors and out of sight

Fresno Bee

Although Proposition 64 legalized marijuana in California, it’s “not a free for all.” Cities can prohibit outdoor growing and many, including Fresno, have done so.

 

New details revealed on two county marijuana ballot measures

Bakersfield Californian

Voters will face a confusing ballot in November, especially when it comes to the three marijuana measures.

 

CRIMINAL JUSTICE / FIRE / PUBLIC SAFETY

 

Crime:

 

Valley seniors get help to beat scammers through workshop

ABC30

A workshop in Lemoore provided tips and helpful information to seniors about how to protect themselves from scams. The event was hosted by Assemblyman Rudy Salas.

See Also:

      Seniors learn about scam trends Hanford Sentinel

 

Walk Like MADD returns to River Walk Saturday

Bakersfield Californian

Walk Like MADD returns for its fifth year on Saturday at the Park at River Walk, where participants can walk, run or just show up to support a cause that everyone can get behind.

 

Why don't women come forward? Talking about sexual assault is excruciating and people don't want to hear it

Los Angeles Times

Does anyone remember how difficult it was to talk about sexual assault 40 years ago? I do.

 

Public Safety:

 

CHP promotes child passenger safety

Hanford Sentinel

Every day, thousands of parents and caregivers in California travel with children in their vehicle. During Child Passenger Safety Week, Sept. 23-29, the California Highway Patrol is working with its traffic safety partners throughout the state to make sure all children are riding safely.

 

Jerry Brown vetoes California bill to expand gun restraining orders

San Francisco Chronicle

Gov. Jerry Brown vetoed a bill Wednesday that would have allowed co-workers and school personnel to petition a court to temporarily remove guns from someone they believe poses an immediate danger.

See Also:

      No sea change on gun laws in wake of mass shootings Stockton Record

      Worried a co-worker is dangerous? You could ask the state to take their guns under new bill Sacramento Bee

Fire:

 

Oak Fire at 75-percent containment

ABC30

CalFire reported the Oak Fire has been reduced to 360 acres and is at 75-percent containment.

See Also:

      Containment on Oak Fire reaches 75 percent Sierra Star

 

CalFire receives $234 million in emergency funding

ABC30

Cal Fire will get immediate help to fight wildfires across the state. The agency asked California lawmakers for emergency funding Tuesday Sept. 25 to fight one of the worst fire seasons. They have been granted $234 million.

 

What The Heck Is A Red Flag Warning? Here's What To Know (And What To Do)

Capital Public Radio

Californians are witnessing more and more red flag warnings as fire season gets longer and more intense. But what is a red flag warning, and how much precaution should you take if you live in an area under one?

 

ECONOMY / JOBS

 

Economy:

 

What’s new in the world’s fifth-largest economy? Introducing California Nation

Fresno Bee

The Sacramento Bee on Thursday launches ”California Nation,” a new podcast on California. Episodes will begin with a deep dive into an issue worthy of your attention.

 

Fed raises rates for 3rd time this year with 1 more expected

Stockton Record

The Fed on Wednesday lifted its short-term rate — a benchmark for many consumer and business loans — by a quarter-point to a range of 2 percent to 2.25 percent. It was the eighth hike since late 2015.

See Also:

      Stocks slip after Federal Reserve raises interest rates Los Angeles Times

 

California regulator probes links between high-cost lenders and consumer finance sites

Los Angeles Times

The state’s top financial regulator launched an investigation Wednesday of high-cost consumer lenders after the failure of several bills in the Legislature that would have tightened oversight of the industry.

 

An Economic Cold War Looms Between the U.S. and China

WSJ

A decade ago, the growing mutual dependence of the U.S. and Chinese economies earned them the nickname “Chimerica.”

 

Fed Raises Interest Rates, Signals One More Increase This Year

WSJ

The Federal Reserve said it would raise short-term interest rates by another quarter-percentage point, and central-bank officials signaled they expected to lift them again later this year and through 2019 to keep a strong economy on an even keel.

 

Share Buybacks Help Lift Corporate Earnings

WSJ

Last December’s tax overhaul is boosting corporate profits in more ways than one.

 

Jobs:

 

California Supreme Court ruling has independent contractors scratching their head over payroll

Modesto Bee

This year The California Supreme Court ruled workers who had been independent contractors were instead actual employees.

 

The time to feel holly, jolly and hired is now. Valley retailers seek holiday workers

Modesto Bee

Holiday hiring has begun in earnest across the Central Valley. Major retailers like Target, Kohl’s and others are offering higher pay and other incentives to attract employees.

 

How Apple Thrived in a Season of Tech Scandals

The New York Times

The business world has long been plagued by Apple catastrophists — investors, analysts, rival executives and journalists who look at the world’s most valuable company and proclaim it to be imminently doomed.

 

EDUCATION

 

K-12:

 

Merced County school will soon have new building, pre-school complex

ABC30

Weaver Middle School will soon have a new building and pre-school complex. Officials say the district office will relocate, and the new building will house 12 classrooms.

 

When it comes to sports, there’s a team behind the team: doctors and trainers

Sierra Star

At Yosemite High, a team of doctors from the Oakhurst Kaiser Permanente Clinic, Oakhurst Physical Therapy and the school athletic training staff are the team behind the football team.

 

Parents feel 'evicted' after Visalia Unified draws new boundary lines

Visalia Times-Delta

Visalia's new elementary school now has boundary lines despite objections by parents who live in the surrounding area.

 

Now 90, songwriter Burt Bacharach is doing everything he can to stop school shootings

Los Angeles Times

The man who wrote that song “I Say a Little Prayer” and hundreds more — songs that are part of the soundtrack of your life and the whole force of his own — that man, Burt Bacharach, is now asking for a little prayer and a little support from his fellow Americans for a cause that has moved him to tears, and to music.

 

Walters: Brown OKs one good education bill, vetoes another

CALmatters

The Legislature gave Gov. Jerry Brown two opportunities to make it easier for young Californians to get the education they – and we in the larger society – need.

 

Teachers’ Unions Respond To Sac City School Budget Crisis

Capital Public Radio

David Fisher and Nikki Milevsky of the SCTA will explain their union’s perspective on the Sac City Unified budget crisis and their proposed plan to address a projected $24 million shortfall.

 

Higher Ed:

 

CSUB students to host legislator luncheon

Bakersfield Californian

Associated Students, Inc. at California State University Bakersfield will host a “Lunch with our Legislators” event from 12 to 1 p.m., Thursday, at the Stockdale Room in the Runner Café located at 8901 Stockdale Hwy.

 

Apprenticeships:

---

 

ENVIRONMENT/ ENERGY

 

Environment:

 

With temps heating up, a Spare the Air warning is in place Thursday for Sacramento

Sacramento Bee

The Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District has issued a warning for Thursday, marking the 20th Spare the Air day in the region for 2018. That’s the most in a year for Sacramento since 2002.

 

Republicans seek widespread changes to the Endangered Species Act

Los Angeles Times

Galvanized by court rulings protecting grizzly bears and gray wolves, congressional Republicans on Wednesday launched a push for sweeping changes to the Endangered​​ Species Act despite strong objections from Democrats and wildlife advocates who called the effort a "wildlife extinction package."

 

Energy:

 

Shell plans to sell off its California pipeline system

Bakersfield Californian

Shell wants to sell a pipeline connecting Kern County oilfields with Bay Area refineries, a move that probably wouldn't affect consumers in the near term but which could lead to changes for local oil producers.

 

Cheaper Battery Is Unveiled as a Step to a Carbon-Free Grid

The New York Times

Lithium-ion batteries have become essential for powering electric cars and storing energy generated by solar panels and wind turbines. But their drawbacks are also by now familiar: They use scarce minerals, are vulnerable to fires and explosions, and are pricey.

 

HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES

 

Health:

 

U.S. at 20-year high for babies born with this STD. Fresno County highest in California

Fresno Bee

Fresno County ranks highest in California for newborns with syphilis for a second year in a row.

 

80,000 people died of flu last winter in US

Stockton Record

The director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Robert Redfield, revealed the total in an interview Tuesday night with The Associated Press.

See Also:

      80,000 died of the flu last winter in the U.S., the highest death count in

decades Los Angeles Times

 

How Juul Exploited Teens’ Brains to Hook Them on Nicotine

Medium

In 2016, it looked like public health officials had dodged a bullet. Teen use of tobacco products, which had been rising for two straight years following the introduction of e-cigarettes, was on the decline. That relief has been short-lived. Teen e-cigarette use is up 75 percent this year, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), recently declared youth e-cigarette use an “epidemic.”

 

Dozens more jobs being cut at Adventist Health Bakersfield

The Bakersfield Californian

Dozens more jobs will soon be eliminated at Adventist Health Bakersfield as the Chester Avenue hospital continues an outsourcing drive that has affected about 175 positions at the medical center since April.

 

More Young Veterans Committing Suicide, VA Data Show

WSJ

The rate of suicide among young military veterans has increased substantially despite efforts by the Department of Veterans Affairs to curb the problem, though overall veteran suicides declined slightly, according to new data to be released Wednesday.

 

EDITORIAL: Prop 8 isn't about dialysis care, it's about punishing non-unionized clinics. Vote no

Los Angeles Times

Proposition 8 is a truly odd duck: a proposal that ostensibly seeks to improve dialysis treatment and cut its cost, yet which is opposed by theNational Kidney​​ Foundation, the Renal Support Network and other major advocacy groups for dialysis patients.

 

Human Services:

 

$21 million Golden Valley project will increase patients’ access to health care

Modesto Bee

Golden Valley Health Centers has a $21 million project to broaden access to care and provide a better experience for patients when they visit the doctor, representatives said.

 

Adventist announces mobile mammogram unit

Hanford Sentinel

Women, if you’ve got 30 minutes, Adventist Health in the Central Valley wants to help save your life.

 

Dozens more jobs being cut at Adventist Health Bakersfield

Bakersfield Californian

Dozens more jobs will soon be eliminated at Adventist Health Bakersfield as the Chester Avenue hospital continues an outsourcing drive that has affected about 175 positions at the medical center since April.

 

Community-Based Suicide Prevention Is Spreading Across The Valley

VPR

September is National Suicide Month and here's what some Central Valley counties are doing for suicide prevention plans.

 

California’s Successes And Failures As A Healthcare Testing Ground

VPR

California is looked to in many ways as a world leader—not just in terms of agricultural production and climate change mitigation goals, but also in the field of health.

 

Billionaire LA Times owner calls 'fake news' and how it spreads on social media the 'cancer of our time'

CNBC

Billionaire Patrick Soon-Shiong on Wednesday advocated for a change in how people consume news on social media, calling misinformation and how it's spread the "cancer of our time."

 

IMMIGRATION

 

Did ICE agents beat an undocumented man and force him to snitch on others or be deported? This immigrant father says they did and files a federal claim for $750,000

Modesto Bee

Attorneys for immigrant father, Carlos Rueda, hold a press conference, Wednesday, September 26, 2018, claiming ICE agents beat and forced him to snitch on others or be deported. He filed a federal claim for $750,000.

See also:

       ICE arrests 150 immigrants in latest Los Angeles-area operation Los Angeles Times

       ICE Agents Are Frustrated At How The Public Perceives Their Job BuzzFeed News

 

Marchers unite with Murrieta riders for immigrants

Vida en el Valle

All immigrants were hailed and the message to President Donald J. Trump was sent from the Joaquín Murrieta Pilgrimage in east Fresno County.

 

Why do we let border agents run checkpoints 100 miles from the border?

Los Angeles Times

A year after the end of World War II, Congress quietly amended the Immigration and Naturalization Act to grant border agents wide latitude to interrogate people they suspected were in the country illegally, provided that the agents were “within a reasonable distance from any external boundary of the United States.”

 

LAND USE/HOUSING

 

Land Use:

 

Changes happening in Old Town Clovis with new shops opening and a few closing

Fresno Bee

Old Town Clovis, one of the central San Joaquin Valley’s more eclectic shopping districts, is mixing things up once again with some new shops and the closure of a few favorites.

 

How black neighborhoods have changed 50 years after the civil rights movement

Brookings

Marcus Casey and Bradley Hardy outline their new research on the evolution of conditions in America’s black neighborhoods since the groundbreaking Kerner Commission report was published in response to the urban rioting of the 1960s.

 

Housing:

 

Spending more than half your money on rent? You’ve got lots of company in the Central Valley

Fresno Bee

Research based on census data by Apartment List shows that more than 200,000 renters in California’s Central Valley spend at least half their income on rent.

 

What this Visalia Senior Housing project may mean for your mom or dad

Visalia Times-Delta

Visalia seniors will soon have newly refurbished affordable housing and, in the next few years, more affordable housing will be up for grabs.

 

Business owners vent over vandalism, homelessness in downtown Bakersfield

Bakersfield Californian

Employees at In Your Wildest Dreams Antiques & Consignments arrive to work each morning not knowing whether they'll find another smashed window, broken locks or people sleeping on the sidewalk.

 

Californians will make a big decision on rent control in November

Los Angeles Times

California voters will decide in November whether to give cities and counties new freedom to expand the use of rent control after an initiative backed by tenant groups earned a spot Friday on this fall’s ballot.

See also:

       What a rent control fight in Silicon Valley could mean for the rest of California Los Angeles Times

 

Southern California home prices rise 7%, though some say the market is slowing

Los Angeles Times

Southern California home prices kept rising in August, but sales fell as questions grow over whether the torrid housing market is finally cooling.

 

My turn: How the next governor can ease the housing crisis

CALmatters

Experts state that California’s housing crisis – the sheer unaffordability of homes – is caused by a severe housing shortage: high demand and low inventory are driving up prices.

 

PUBLIC FINANCES

 

Calpers Chief Faces Short-Term and Long-Term Liabilities

WSJ

In what was otherwise a lighthearted question-and-answer session at a staff meeting this month, Marcie Frost turned serious.

See also:

       Investigate hiring of CalPERS CEO, John Chiang says  Fresno Bee

       CalPERS board rewards CEO with $84,000 bonus, 4 percent raise  Sacramento Bee

 

Republican tax plan is pro-growth, but it won’t pay for itself

AEI

Republicans should emphasize that the tax cut is good for the economy. The Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT) has confirmed that the plan will promote faster economic growth. At the time of enactment, JCT estimated the legislation would expand the economy by 0.8 percent (or about $200 billion per year) by the mid-2020s.

 

TRANSPORTATION

 

Gas-tax supporters tout report finding fewer potholes in Bay Area

San Francisco Chronicle

Roads throughout the Bay Area are slowly improving, according to a new report, and officials at the Metropolitan Transportation Commission are crediting an infusion of SB1 gas tax dollars for the gradual upward trend.

 

Gas-tax opponents file proposal to kill high-speed train

San Francisco Chronicle

Proponents of Proposition 6, the measure to repeal California’s gas tax hike, filed a new ballot measure Tuesday that would torpedo Gov. Brown’s high-speed rail project.

See also:

       Push to end bullet train in 2020 could signal GOP strategy The News Tribune

 

Why American transit is not improving

Vox

How American mass transit measures up against the rest of the world’s.

 

Uber Will Spend $10 Million to Solve a Problem It Helped Create

The New York Times

The extraordinary rise of Uber has transformed the ride-hail industry and in some cities, including New York, it has contributed to increased congestion. Now, Uber, in a move that was met with derision by critics, says it wants to help solve some of the problems it has helped cause.

 

Another first for scooters: a conviction for scooting under the influence

Los Angeles Times

Southern California has seen a series of firsts since motorized rental scooters began flooding streets and sidewalks last year. On Wednesday, Los Angeles officials reported another: the first conviction for scooting under the influence.

See also:

      The Secret Life Of Teen Scooter Outlaws The Verge

 

WATER

 

Feinstein urges voluntary water agreements ahead of vote by State Water Board

Modesto Bee

Sen. Dianne Feinstein and some state representatives in the Bay Area are calling for voluntary settlement agreements, rather than a State Water Board proposal, to bolster the salmon population in tributaries of the San Joaquin River.

 

“Xtra”

 

New restaurants heading to downtown Fresno

ABC30

If you haven't been down Fulton Street for awhile you may be surprised. There's a bit of new life down there. An event Tuesday was the announcement that a popular Fig Garden Restaurant is opening on the corner of Fulton and Mariposa, joining the surge to downtown.

 

Caruthers District Fair begins

ABC30

The state's largest "free-gate" fair kicks off in Fresno County. The Caruthers District Fair opened its gates on Wednesday afternoon and runs through this Saturday.

 

Rock along the Kern River this weekend

Bakersfield Californian

Blues music lovers will take over the sleepy city of Kernville this weekend when the eighth annual Kern River Rock ‘n’ Blues Fest rolls back for three days of music, camping and partying out of bounds.

 

Stockton Arts Experience showcases community’s incredible talent

Stockton Record

Andrea (Kitty) Perry and her artistic and life partner Brandon “Tiger Owndabea” Wiggins, are producing “The Stockton Arts Experience, Celebrating Music, Poetry and Comedy” beginning at 7 p.m. Saturday at the Bob Hope Theatre.

 

He made notorious headlines in Modesto. Now, robber is being played by Robert Redford.

The Modesto Bee

There’s a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it reference to Modesto in Robert Redford’s latest — and, reportedly, last — movie as an actor: “The Old Man & the Gun.”

 

Modesto native a finalist at legendary SF Comedy competition coming to Gallo Center

The Modesto Bee

A Modesto native finds himself back home this weekend, one of five up-and-coming comics at the Gallo Center. Kris Tinkle, a 1993 graduate of Beyer High School, is among the finalists in the annual SF Comedy Competition.

 

By George, they've got it! Empty Space debuts its 'My Fair Lady'

The Bakersfield Californian

Wouldn't it be loverly to sit abso-bloomin'-lutely still and enjoy a brand-new production of "My Fair Lady"? Then you're in luck as it's opening Friday at The Empty Space.