POLICY & POLITICS
Valley:
City of Fresno takes first swing at cannabis regulations. Public forum scheduled
Fresno Bee
Fresno took an important step Tuesday toward allowing commercial cannabis businesses to eventually set up – and officials hope residents and stakeholders will play a role in shaping its policy.
See Also:
Texts appear to show Leticia Perez's husband took money to arrange access for pot groups
Bakersfield Californian
The husband of Supervisor Leticia Perez appears to have asked for money to set up a meeting between his wife and a local marijuana dispensary group as supervisors were grappling with how to regulate marijuana in Kern County, according to a text message exchange obtained by The Californian.
State:
Sacramento judge strikes down 95-year-old California ban on handgun advertising signs
Modesto Bee
A federal judge in Sacramento rules the law prohibiting firearms dealers from using handgun images in advertising at their shops violates the First Amendment. The law had allowed only signs with shotguns or rifles.
See Also:
US Judge Strikes Down California Ban On Handgun Ads Capital Public Radio
Stores in California can display handguns in shop windows, judge rules, reversing 95-year-old ban San Francisco Chronicle
California's candidates for governor remain in standoff over debate schedule as CNN shelves plan to host faceoff
Los Angeles Times
With less than two months until election day, California’s two gubernatorial contenders remained locked in a standoff over whether they’ll meet to discuss the issues facing the state.
Koch-linked charity must disclose top donors to California, appeals court rules
Los Angeles Times
A federal appeals court ruled Tuesday that two conservative charitable groups, including one tied to the billionaire Koch brothers, must turn over a list of their top donors to the California attorney general.
Ahead in the governor's race, Gavin Newsom begins bus tour to help other Democrats
Los Angeles Times
Gavin Newsom kicked off a statewide bus tour Monday in the Santa Clarita Valley to bolster fellow Democrats in California’s contested congressional races, saying the party’s efforts to retake control of the House with President Trump in the White House was just as critical to the state as his campaign to become its next governor.
Will Enthusiasm Lead To Greater Turnout For California’s Young Voters?
Capital Public Radio
Experts say a number of factors stop young people from voting, including relocation and lack of connection to candidates and ballot measures.
Brown puts an old friend in a six-figure state job
San Francisco Chronicle
Juan Pedro Gaffney’s career as a Bay Area choir director would seem to make him an odd fit for a six-figure job with the state deciding whether people who say they were hurt on the job should receive workers’ compensation pay.
Federal:
While Kavanaugh turns D.C. into a circus, frustrated states take aim at Washington
Fresno Bee
The Senate’s rushed Supreme Court hearings are jarring some legal experts who say the political theatrics are distracting from massive changes in the way justices are vetted.
See Also:
EDITORIAL: Left turns Kavanaugh hearings into a circus. America deserves better Sierra Star
Did Brett Kavanaugh call birth control abortion-inducing drugs? No PolitiFact
Feinstein, Harris pursue agendas in Kavanaugh hearings CALmatters
Trump to Sign Order Allowing Sanctions on Foreigners Meddling in U.S. Elections
The Wall Street Journal
President Trump is expected to sign an executive order as soon as Wednesday that would authorize sanctions against foreigners who attempt to interfere in American elections, according to three people familiar with the matter.
U.S. Businesses Ramp Up Lobbying Against Trump’s Tariffs
The Wall Street Journal
As of June 30, nearly 450 entities employed lobbyists on trade issues—up from about 160 at the start of the year and about 100 when Mr. Trump took office, according to lobbying-disclosure reports compiled by the nonprofit Center for Responsive Politics.
Can California Democrats Flip the House in November?
The Nation
By almost any measure, the Democrats’ chances of taking control of the House of Representatives in the November midterm elections depend in large part on California. Nationwide, the Democrats need to flip 23 Republican seats to take control of the House.
EDITORIAL: Trump's latest step backward on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict: shutting down the PLO's Washington office
Los Angeles Times
The search for Middle East peace has been characterized by missed opportunities, stubbornness and willful misunderstanding.
Other:
Facebook Live Conversation on the New Census Figures on Poverty and Health Coverage
California Budget and Policy Center
This week, the US Census Bureau will release new national and state-level figures on poverty, income, health coverage, and other important topics. In addition to publishing same-day analyses on what these figures mean for our state, the California Budget & Policy Center will host a Facebook Live discussion this Thursday, September 13, at 2:00 p.m. PT.
Why States Still Matter
National Review
Since the Left is, broadly speaking, on the losing side of the American political game at the moment, it is the faction most enthusiastic about reform of the country’s governing institutions.
Black women’s electoral strength in an era of fractured politics
Brookings
Recent elections have revealed a new wave of electoral momentum for black women, but they remain under-represented as candidates nationwide. Using findings from a new database, Andre Perry examines the factors that are critical to success for black women candidates running for legislative or executive office in the United States.
What do a porn star, a combative lawyer and a reality-TV contestant all have in common? Trump
The Los Angeles Times
But the habitues of Trump’s overlapping legal and political worlds are of a whole other order. A porn star. A pair of Playboy Playmates. A lawyer and fixer with a New York swagger and wiseguy vernacular suggesting he’s seen a few too many Martin Scorsese films.
OPINION: Playing the Civility Card
The Wall Street Journal
Yet the civility offensive is not without contradiction. How is it that those who presume they posses the moral standing to preach on Mr. Trump’s incivility are so conspicuously blind to the equally glaring outrages of his critics?
Annual 9-11 memorial held at California Memorial in Clovis
Fresno Bee
The 17th annual 9-11 memorial was held at the California Memorial in Clovis on Tuesday. Former New York City firefighter and honored guest Andy Isolano spoke to the crowd, presenting an American flag to former Pelco CEO David McDonald.
See Also:
Schneider Electric holds ceremony to honor those who lost their lives on 9/11 ABC30
Fresno Fire hosts annual 9/11 Burpee Challenge to honor those who died during the attack ABC30
Authorities in Tulare County hold ceremony to mark 17th anniversary of 9/11 ABC30
Modesto, Turlock pause to remember Sept. 11 attacks with speeches and steel Modesto Bee
Tulare County vows to remember 9/11 Visalia Times-Delta
‘We ... have not forgotten’: SJ Patriot Day ceremony honors first responders Stockton Record
Bakersfield reflects on Sept. 11, 2001 with ceremony Bakersfield Californian
‘They just did their job.’ Region’s 9/11 events focus on honor, remembrance Sacramento Bee
U.S. marks 9/11 with somber tributes and new monument to victims Los Angeles Times
Sept. 11 ceremony honors heroes, marks somber day San Francisco Chronicle
AGRICULTURE/FOOD
Citrus greening research funding at risk in farm bill talks
Fresno Bee
A disease called citrus greening has devastated Florida’s citrus industry since its discovery in 2005. Agriculture officials are hoping they can stop it before California suffers the same fate.
If strike continues, Sun-Maid may use temporary workers to get plant up and running
Fresno Bee
Sun-Maid president Harry Overly said Tuesday that the Kingsburg raisin plant will be up and running on Wednesday, despite a strike by workers that shut down the factory for a day and a half.
Is your pot shop still open? County amends permit process for cannabis retailers
The Modesto Bee
The county will eventually allow up to seven cannabis dispensaries and Modesto will license up to 10. Surrounding cities like Riverbank, Ceres, Patterson and Oakdale — which saw the first of two dispensaries it is allowing open last week — are handling their own permitting, separate from the county.
Fueled by grants, recreational pot, Woodlake comes into its own
The Business Journal
It’s no secret the Valley’s first recreational cannabis dispensary has created a steady influx of cash and customers for the small town of Woodlake. But what many don’t know is that the city has been on the rise for the past few years, and adding a dispensary to the town is just one of many facets to its revitalization.
Would You Drink Beer Made With Recycled Water?
Capital Public Radio
California craft brewers are looking for innovative ways to be more sustainable. One challenge is how to use less water in a state plagued by drought. But are consumers ready for reclaimed water?
Misleading claim by ‘Fox & Friends’ on California kids meal bill
PolitiFact
Would a California bill really limit restaurant drink options for children to "only milk and water"?
CRIMINAL JUSTICE / FIRE / PUBLIC SAFETY
Crime:
Bail bond firms gathering signatures for referendum
San Francisco Chronicle
Bail bond companies have started gathering signatures for a referendum to block a new California law, the first of its kind in the nation, that would eliminate cash bail as a requirement for pretrial release from jail.
Ex-con therapists and doctors, or a second chance?
CALmatters
Brown has made greater use of the power of pardon and commutation of felons than any governor before him, gaining him national attention in the Washington Post.
Now, he must decide a related issue: Should past felons be eligible for professional, state-issued licenses?
EDITORIAL: Attorney-client communications in jail are supposed to be confidential. They're not
Los Angeles Times
Multiple parties bear some portion of blame for the unacceptable recording of privileged conversations between defense lawyers and their clients in jails and prisons in Los Angeles and Orange counties and elsewhere around the nation.
Public Safety:
Hanford PD starts drone program
Hanford Sentinel
The Hanford Police Department has a new program that’s giving officers a vantage point they’ve never had before.
This is Sheriff Youngblood's nightmare scenario
Bakersfield Californian
What's the fastest way for a Kern County Sheriff's deputy to get a raise these days? Answer: Get hired by the Bakersfield Police Department.
Shooters are twice as deadly when a semiautomatic rifle is in the mix, study finds
Los Angeles Times
Any time a shooter opens fire in a school, a church or anywhere else, the consequences can be deadly. But the danger is about double when a semiautomatic weapon is involved.
California orders NRA to stop selling ‘self -defense’ firearm insurance without state license
San Francisco Chronicle
California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones has ordered the National Rifle Association to stop selling liability insurance in the state without a license.
She Escaped Domestic Abuse And Is Seeking Asylum. Now A Policy Change Makes Her Future Uncertain
Valley Public Radio
Hundreds in the San Joaquin Valley and thousands in the nation are in limbo after Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced gang and domestic violence doesn't qualify as a valid asylum claim in the United States anymore. But for people who have an open asylum case citing domestic violence, it's unclear what's going to happen.
US judge strikes down California ban on handgun ads
AP News
A U.S. judge on Tuesday struck down a nearly century-old California law that banned handgun ads at gun shops, saying the state failed to show it would prevent suicides or crime
Fire:
Forest-thinning measures likely dead in Congress, despite Trump, California Republicans
Fresno Bee
For more than a month, Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke and Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue have been calling for a rollback of environmental regulations on forest-thinning projects they argue will help reduce the risk of wildfires, including the ones ravaging California.
California Wildfires: Latest Updates And What You Need To Know
Capital Public Radio
Firefighters are battling several major wildfires throughout California — including one north of Redding, near where the Carr Fire killed eight people and burned some 1,100 homes in a frightening start to the fire season. Here are the latest updates on the fires we are tracking in Northern California.
See Also:
I-5 open in Shasta County. Delays still expected as crews fight 53,000-acre Delta Fire Sacramento Bee
Evacuations lifted, roads opened after firefighters suppress Marin County blaze San Francisco Chronicle
Delta Fire Tuesday, September 11: Containment grows to 11%, 53,837 acres burned KRCR News
ECONOMY / JOBS
Economy:
Bondsmen: Cash bail law could harm downtown economy
The Business Journal
A law designed to end cash bail in California is being heavily contested by bond companies and civil rights activists alike, with opponents warning it could have detrimental effects not only to the justice system, but to local economies.
Are you in the middle class?
Bakersfield Californian
The middle class is shrinking, are you still part of it? A new tool from Pew Research Center lets you determine your income level — lower, middle, upper — with an online calculator that compares your economic well-being to others nationwide and locally.
America's malls are dying. Owners are hoping virtual reality and fitness centers will save them
Los Angeles Times
Mall operators are trying out virtual reality and other non-retail concepts, including luxury health and fitness offerings and haute cuisine, to combat rising vacancy rates brought about by the success of Amazon.com and other e-tailers.
See Also:
The Government May Want to Buy Your Dying Mall The Wall Street Journal
A major bank is offering payday-style loans. Will others follow suit?
Los Angeles Times
U.S. Bank says it will offer nearly instant small loans to its customers, becoming the first bank to provide such a product since federal regulators cleared the way earlier this year amid continuing concerns over the costs of payday loans.
Tech stocks lead market to gains amid recovery from last week's slump
Los Angeles Times
U.S. stocks rallied Tuesday as technology companies continued to recover from their recent losses. Big technology companies slumped last week as executives from Facebook and Twitter appeared before Congress at hearings about election meddling and political bias.
U.S. securities laws may cover initial coin offerings, judge says in big win for feds
Los Angeles Times
A federal judge has ruled that U.S. securities laws may cover an initial coin offering, handing the government a victory in its effort to regulate billions of dollars in cybercurrency offerings much as stocks are.
Small-Business Optimism Hit Record High in August
National Review
Optimism among small-business owners reached a record high in August as Republican-passed tax cuts and deregulation began to bear fruit, according to a survey by the National Federation of Independent Business.
Middle-class income hit an all-time high of $61,372 last year, U.S. Census Bureau says
Washington Post
The median U.S. household experienced a sizable jump in income from the prior year, the U.S. Census Bureau reports.
U.S. Proposing New Round of Trade Talks With China
WSJ
Discussions aimed at giving China another opportunity to resolve trade conflicts before new U.S. tariffs are imposed.
Why Voters Are Still Wary 10 Years After the Economic Collapse
Roll Call
In exit polls from the 2008 presidential election, 85 percent of voters said they were worried about the direction of the nation’s economy, with 50 percent “very worried.”
FACT CHECK: Who Gets Credit For The Booming U.S. Economy?
NPR
The U.S. economy is chugging along. Employers added 201,000 jobs last month, and the unemployment rate held steady at a low, 3.9 percent. Average wages in August were nearly 3 percent higher than they were a year ago.
See Also:
VIDEO: Trump or Obama: Who Deserves More Credit for the Strong Economy The Wall Street Journal
Fiscal responsibility? Pffft. The House GOP tees up another tax-cut vote
The Los Angeles Times
Desperate to hold on to their majority in the House, GOP leaders are planning to bring up a new set of tax-cut proposals soon that would dole out more favors to certain constituents — especially those with higher-than-average incomes.
Regulations and taxes stifle family businesses
CALmatters
Family business owners look to the next quarter-century, not just the next quarter. We treat our employees as extended family. As a result, many of them stay with us for decades. And we strive to provide top-quality products and services. But instead of helping us grow, Sacramento too often piles on new taxes and regulations that make it more difficult for us to remain in business. We ask lawmakers a simple question: When will enough be enough?
EDITORIAL: Trump policies could trade away recovery
San Francisco Chronicle
Which president deserves more credit for the nation’s longest economic recovery: Barack Obama, who presided over the beginning and the bulk of the turnaround after supporting extraordinary measures to pull the country out of the Great Recession? Or Donald Trump, who boasted about it more?
Jobs:
Health care, retail, and restaurants are hiring the most workers in Fresno this month
ABC30
Considering a career move, or just curious about Fresno's emerging employment landscape? Here's a look at how the latest labor trends are playing out in the local area right now.
EDUCATION
K-12:
For most high school students graduating this year 9/11 is history not a memory
ABC30
On 9/11 we're reminded to "Never Forget." But students born after 9/11 never knew about that dark moment in our history so its important educators and adults fill in the gaps.
Talking with your toddler could boost IQ scores
ABC30
If you talk with your toddler, it may make them smarter later in life. In fact, they could have a higher IQ score.
Central Union schools receive Monsanto grant for STEM in agriculture
Hanford Sentinel
Before the students began their fun, back-to-school assembly Wednesday, a representative from Monsanto, an agriculture company, presented the Central Union Elementary School District STEM teacher, who teaches science, technology, engineering and mathematics, and some student representatives with a check to fund their coming robotics project at Stratford Elementary School.
SUSD takes first steps towards moving headquarters
Stockton Record
San Joaquin County’s largest school district might be getting a new home address. Trustees discussed and approved next steps for a possible relocation of the district’s administration building and further potential use of its current property that is said to be 100 years old.
Sleepy kids, logistics at odds as legislation weighed
San Francisco Chronicle
Middle and high school students do better when they get an extra hour or so of sleep, according to research and, many parents would say, common sense.
See Also:
Hitting the snooze button with CA school candidates CALmatters
California Budget & Policy Center
For the fifth year in a row, funding for California’s subsidized child care and development system has increased. This system provides critical child care and early learning opportunities for a limited number of children from low- and moderate-income families, but state funding was cut dramatically during and after the Great Recession, while federal funding for subsidized child care remained relatively flat.
Higher Ed:
New Institute At Fresno State To Build Trust Between News Media, Consumers
Valley Public Radio
Fresno State’s new Institute for Media and Public Trust, led by former Fresno Bee editor Jim Boren aims to close the credibility gap between news producers and consumers, and address the issue of media literacy.
Thousands of students storm Rabobank Arena for College Night
Bakersfield Californian
Future college students packed Rabobank Arena Monday evening for the 19th Annual Kern County College Night.
Apprenticeships:
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ENVIRONMENT/ ENERGY
Environment:
Fresno sits at the crossroads of California’s climate-change policies
Fresno Bee
Delegates at the San Francisco Global Climate Action Summit should come to Fresno. Our city is at the crossroads of California’s climate change policies, in the heart of a valley that has been trying unsuccessfully for nearly three decades to reduce ground-level air pollution to safe levels.
Dead humpback whale washes up near Oceano Dunes
Fresno Bee
California State Parks employees found a dead humpback whale on the beach at the Oceano Dunes in San Luis Obispo County, California, on Monday. Officials said the whale was a juvenile and was about 20 feet long.
EPA change to Obama-era rule on methane leaks could lead to more greenhouse gases
ABC30
EPA is proposing changes to an Obama-era rule that regulates methane emissions from oil and natural gas, the latest change to rules intended to combat climate change.
At Jerry Brown's climate summit, one deadline will overshadow all the others
Los Angeles Times
The political leaders coming from around the world for Gov. Jerry Brown’s climate action summit this week will grapple with a lot of urgent deadlines to drive down emissions, but one date is especially exasperating.
See Also:
Fight against climate change heats up in SF San Francisco Chronicle
Climate experts explain what to watch at this week’s Global Climate Action Summit Brookings
Gov. Brown blasts Trump’s latest retreat from global warming as bordering ‘on criminality’
San Francisco Chronicle
Gov. Jerry Brown blasted a proposal that seeks to weaken regulation of methane, saying President Trump’s failure to recognize global warming “borders on criminality.”
PG&E agrees in settlement to protect S.F. Bay from chemical runoff from utility poles
San Francisco Chronicle
Pacific Gas and Electric Co. has agreed to protect San Francisco and Humboldt bays from runoff of dangerous chemicals on utility poles in a settlement with an environmental group.
Strong Support for California’s Climate Leadership
Public Policy Institute of California
From September 12 to 14, Governor Jerry Brown will co-chair the Global Climate Action Summit in San Francisco. This gathering of world leaders will review achievements to date and discuss next steps in meeting the international goals established to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
California’s War on Climate Change
CALmatters
CALmatters’ Julie Cart explains in a video primer why believers are so thick on the ground here: “Modern environmentalism was really born in California, and that sensibility is still embedded in the state’s DNA.”
They Defied Trump on Climate Change. Now, It’s Their Moment of Truth.
The New York Times
The gathering in San Francisco, which is spearheaded by Governor Brown, will bring leaders and civil society groups from around the world to discuss ways that states, cities and businesses can work together to reduce their emissions.
Energy:
California to rely on 100% clean electricity by 2045 under bill signed by Gov. Jerry Brown
Los Angeles Times
All of California’s electricity will come from clean power sources by 2045 under legislation signed by Gov. Jerry Brown on Monday, the latest in a series of ambitious goals set by the state to combat the effects of climate change.
See Also:
California Aims To Drop Fossil Fuels For Electricity By 2045 Capital Public Radio
Gov. Jerry Brown Signs SB 100 Ahead of Global Climate Action Summit Capital Public Radio
Brown’s new goal: less than zero emissions San Francisco Chronicle
States See Energy Boom Along With Economic Expansion
Pew Trusts
An oil and gas bonanza in Southwestern states may be helping to drive the continuing national economic boom.
HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES
Health:
Dementia, Cognitive Decline Associated With Air Pollution
Valley Public Radio
Particulate matter, also known as PM, is a major health risk: It’s known to cause asthma attacks and other respiratory flare-ups in the short term, and exposure over the long term has been associated with reduced immune function and cardiovascular problems.
Dying To Get Out: Stigma, ‘Copycat Effect’ Drive Youth Suicide In Rural Amador County
Capital Public Radio
Many young people say they don’t have a healthy way to express feelings of being trapped and misunderstood. And teens who live in remote places are more likely to seek a fatal escape.
Drug executive: It's a 'moral requirement' to charge patients the highest price
Los Angeles Times
Nirmal Mulye defended Martin Shkreli, the former drug company CEO who became the face of the industry’s profiteering.
Washington Post
Commissioner Scott Gottlieb dramatically escalated his efforts to stop teenage vaping on Wednesday, detailing recent action against more than 1,300 retailers for allegedly selling e-cigarettes to minors and warning manufacturers of a potential ban of flavored e-cigarette liquids.
EDITORIAL: Proposition 8: Vote no on cynical union power play
San Diego Union-Tribune
Let’s be blunt: Voters should reject Proposition 8 on Nov. 6. It would limit the profits of kidney dialysis clinics on the spurious grounds someone somewhere needs to force owners to spend more on “direct patient care and health-care improvements.”
Human Services:
Fresno County delays approving free animal adoption center
ABC30
It has been six years since Fresno County split with the SPCA because of public controversy over their high animal kill rate, and set up its own, supposedly temporary animal shelter.
Modesto police accuse police department of nearby town of dumping homeless people in city
ABC30
Police in Modesto are accusing a nearby police department of dumping homeless people in their city.
Hospitals Comply With Violence Prevention Rules, But Rules Only Go So Far
Valley Public Radio
Those who work in health care are at increased risk of workplace violence. Although hospitals in the Valley have preventive measures in place, some are finding that it’s not until an incident happens that a facility knows what more to improve.
Adventist Health hosts employee orientation; Tulare hospital's reopening gets near
Visalia Times-Delta
Adventist Health completed two days of orientation for about 100 employees on Tuesday, taking one step closer to reopening Tulare hospital.
See also:
Adventist Health to build new hospital in Northwest Bakersfield Bakersfield Californian
With a single sentence, Obama moves Medicare for all into the political mainstream
Los Angeles Times
In a speech Friday that was noteworthy primarily for its unvarnished criticism of President Trump, Obama made a passing reference to issues that could be winners for Democratic candidates, including Medicare.
Nearly 600 Russia-Linked Accounts Tweeted About the Health Law
The Wall Street Journal
A newly identified group of nearly 10,000 tweets shows that while Russian trolls often focus on such hot-button issues as Hillary Clinton’s email or athletes kneeling during the national anthem, they also target substantive and divisive policy areas like health care.
IMMIGRATION
It’s an immigration crisis few know of. And Fresno County might be at the center of it
Fresno Bee
Thousands of immigrants in the Fresno region and nation could face deportation to a country that’s rarely discussed in the daily news cycle, and in some respects has been forgotten.
US to triple number of beds at tent camp for immigrant children
Stockton Record
That’s a 20 percent increase in the number of beds for unaccompanied minors, now at 12,800, in the controversial network of more than 100 shelters overseen by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
LAND USE/HOUSING
Land Use:
Advocates urge approval for animal shelter plan. Neighbors say ‘not in my backyard’
Fresno Bee
Emotions ran high at a Fresno County Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 11 before a scheduled vote to change zoning and allow a business owner to build an animal shelter in northwest Fresno.
Adventist Health to build new hospital in Northwest Bakersfield
Bakersfield Californian
Sharlet Briggs, president/CEO of Adventist Health Bakersfield, said the hospital will be built off Coffee Road near Brimhall Road, next to what will become the Bakersfield Commons, a 250-acre mixed-use development that will include retail, residential, recreational and other types of space.
Housing:
New development underway in 52-acre parcel in Clovis
ABC30
Clovis city leaders will consider zoning changes to be in compliance with state law regarding affordable housing. Clovis City Manager Luke Serpa says the state is demanding more high-density housing.
THE APPROACHING BATTLE FOR RENT CONTROL
Democratic Socialists of America
Well-organized and heavily funded, the opposition to rent control initiatives in California has a track record of campaigning hard and often successfully against such efforts. In particular, the California Apartment Association, representing landlords throughout the state, unleashes a heavy stream of cash to kill rent control proposals whenever they’re made.
PUBLIC FINANCES
Jerry Brown signs bill on disputed foreclosure funds
San Francisco Chronicle
A new law signed by Gov. Jerry Brown allows the state to keep $331 million that a court had designated for programs to help California homeowners who had been hit with foreclosures by banks accused of abusive practices.
Millions of taxpayers could wind up owing for 2018
CBS News
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently issued a report warning that more than 4.5 million taxpayers will come up short next April, unless they act now to adjust their withholding amounts.
The Wall Street Journal
The larger lesson is that sooner or later the middle class always gets the bill for bigger government. Higher income and corporate taxes drive the affluent out of the state, which means less revenue. That leaves the middle class to pay in higher sales, property and now gasoline taxes.
Executive Order on Strengthening Retirement Security in America
The White House
It shall be the policy of the Federal Government to expand access to workplace retirement plans for American workers. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 23 percent of all private-sector, full-time workers lack access to a workplace retirement plan.
TRANSPORTATION
223,654 Solo Drivers to lose California carpool stickers
Mercury News
223,654 Solo Drivers to lose California carpool stickers.
Valley residents eligible for up to $9,500 to replace high polluting vehicles
ABC30
The replacement option offers $2,500 to $9,500 for residents in the eight-county Valley air basin. The amount is based on the replacement vehicle and the applicant's household income.
Kern County names new airport director
Bakersfield Californian
The Kern County Board of Supervisors have named Mark Witsoe as the new director of airports for Kern County. The director position is responsible for all seven airports within the county, including Meadows Field, Buttonwillow, Lost Hills, Kern Valley, Poso, Taft and Wasco.
Injuries are the untold part of the scooter trend, doctors and victims say
San Francisco Chronicle
Injuries are the part of the electric scooter story that hasn’t yet been fully told. No one has an official count, but doctors in many cities are sharing anecdotes about people being sideswiped, brakes failing and riders colliding with cars or hitting pedestrians when they illegally scoot on sidewalks.
The Tesla board's dilemma: How do you solve a problem like Elon?
Los Angeles Times
As a company, Tesla is at an inflection point. Musk has promised sterling financial results in the next quarter or two, but his credibility is so low that even if he delivers the numbers he promised, investors may be skeptical that they’re genuine.
Caltrans Unveils 2018 California State Rail Plan
SCV News
Caltrans released the 2018 State Rail Plan on Monday, calling it a bold vision for state rail that aims to boost the economy, help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve safety statewide over the next 20 years.
High Speed Rail from Bakersfield and Palmdale could take 25 minutes
KGET
The California High-Speed Rail Authority has been planning a path from Bakersfield to Palmdale for over a decade.
Who Do You Imagine When You Imagine Biking in Cities
PublicCEO
Lugo’s biking activism began in Los Angeles, the city that taught her about being Mexican-American. The term “Chicana,” was not one she heard growing up in a Latino enclave of mostly first-generation immigrants in Orange County’s San Juan Capistrano, Lugo tells Next City in an interview.
Transit Advocates: Is the White House Purposefully Delaying Project Funds?
Governing.com
Advocates say the Federal Transit Administration is sitting on nearly $1.8 billion that’s supposed to help build light rail lines, streetcars and subway improvements. Delaying these projects, they argue, could increase costs for local transit agencies.
CALmatters
Secretary of State Alex Padilla, a Democrat, called the errors “absolutely frustrating and beyond disappointing,” but he was more forgiving than the GOP candidates who have made sure voters hear all about the DMV’s issues.
WATER
Why some are concerned over water board chairwoman’s ties to Bay Area institute
Modesto Bee
Felicia Marcus, chairwoman of the State Water Resources Control Board, has considerable influence over decision-making that could leave more water in rivers for salmon at the expense of irrigation districts in the Northern San Joaquin Valley.
Candidate Andrew Janz Says Pumping "At 100 Percent Capacity," Water Infrastructure Needed
Valley Public Radio
We discuss how Janz might balance environmental and economic priorities when it comes to water, and how California state laws are changing public safety.
EDITORIAL: Proposition 3: Two biggest reasons to oppose water bond in November election
San Diego Union-Tribune
Proposition 3, which asks voters to approve $8.9 billion in bond funds for water projects, has a surface appeal. The state’s need for improved water infrastructure and new water storage facilities is plain. But there are strong reasons to reject it.
“Xtra”
Yosemite National Park hosts adaptive climbing program for disabled veterans
ABC30
Several other disabled veterans are overcoming their challenges and climbing the Yosemite granite walls to commemorate the lives of those lost on September 11.
Visalia Basket Weaving Event Explores Native American "Roots"
Valley Public Radio
This weekend, the Tulare County Museum in Visalia is hosting an event in collaboration with the California Indian Basketweavers’ Association, and in honor of California Native American Day.