POLICY & POLITICS
North SJ Valley:
Questions over Modesto’s urban growth, Wood Colony could surface in 2020 election
Modesto Bee
Should Modesto, hungry for new jobs and homes, swallow part of Wood Colony? That could become the most controversial piece of a revived effort to establish an urban limit around Modesto.
Modesto officials consider spending $380,000 for downtown hotel project
Modesto Bee
The City Council on Tuesday could set aside nearly $381,000 to cover Modesto’s costs to explore the potential development of a 200-room, high-end hotel that is expected to bring more visitors and conventions to downtown.
EDITORIAL: What exactly are Modesto city leaders hiding?
Modesto Bee
Without clarifying details, it’s not wise to pass judgment on the origin of this mess. But the way they’ve handled it so far appears to have mucked up the process and helped us lose even more faith in an already shaky City Hall.
Central SJ Valley:
A ‘judicial catastrophe’ is looming, Fresno judge says. Court vacancies are a problem
Fresno Bee
Presiding Judge Lawrence J. O’Neill sent a letter on Friday to the White House and Sens. Dianne Feinstein and Kamala Harris, warning about impending retirements on the court with the highest caseload in the nation for more than two decades.
See also:
Homelessness spikes 11% in Tulare, Kings counties
Visalia Times Delta
Tulare County's growing homeless population has been discussed countless times by county and city officials. A new report by Kings/Tulare Homeless Alliance sheds light on the regional problem.
See also:
Visalia spends $2M to combat homelessness. Here's how the money is spent Visalia Times Delta
'Like heaven on Earth': nonprofit envisions 'micro-home community' for Tulare County's homeless Visalia Times Delta
Bakersfield to consider loosening parking restrictions downtown to spur development Bakersfield Californian
Before The Brewery District: Fresno Property Owner All In On Burgeoning Corner
Business Journal
When demand prompted Tioga-Sequoia Brewing Co. to debut its beer garden in 2014, it did so virtually isolated from the rest of the city. It was turnout at events such as FresYes Fest that justified the risk to invest in Downtown Fresno.
South SJ Valley:
Kern County Fair Board shuts down questions during tumultuous meeting
Bakersfield Californian
In the first public meeting since the Kern County District Attorney opened an investigation into alleged financial misconduct and misuse of state resources at the fair, the directors mostly acted as if it was business as usual.
See also:
Gaspar: Plenty of blame to go around in fiasco at Kern County Fair Bakersfield Californian
Bakersfield to consider loosening parking restrictions downtown to spur development
Bakersfield Californian
In the city of Bakersfield’s ever-evolving quest to revitalize its downtown, local officials are considering loosening parking restrictions for developers in an attempt to bring more people to the city’s main hub. A rule would get rid of the requirement that developers add parking when buildings undergo changes of use.
State:
California’s State Auditor Ranks the Fiscal Health of over 470 California Cities
Auditor of the State of California
As part of the California State Auditor’s high-risk local government audit program, the Auditor has established a process for determining whether a local government agency is at risk of fiscal distress.
Want to vote Republican for president in California? You can’t be registered ‘decline to state’
Sacramento Bee
The California Secretary of State’s Office announced Monday that three parties will have primaries open to those who listed their political affiliation as “no party preference:” the Democratic Party, the Libertarian Party and the American Independent Party.
See also:
No Party Preference Voters Allowed To Vote In California Democratic Primary On ‘Super Tuesday’ KPIX 5
California independents can cast ballots for Democrats — but not Trump — in March primary Los Angeles Times
Gavin Newsom, moderate? Almost every CA Dem legislator is further left
CalMatters
Based on an analysis of the 1,042 bills that the governor signed or vetoed this year, Gavin Newsom is more moderate than all but a few Democratic legislators.
Commentary: An Update on Gubernatorial Actions Prediction
Fox&Hounds
First, 1,042 bills reached the Governor’s Desk this Session, which is a lower number than last year’s figure, even though fewer bills were introduced last year compared to this year.
California relishes role as liberal trendsetter, Trump foe
AP News
The state, given the virtual irrelevance of its Republican Party, is pushing the boundaries of liberal policy, forcing Democrats to draw their own lines on the role of government, corporate responsibility and social policies.
Glitches in California Embolden Automatic Voter Registration Foes
Pew Trusts
California’s rollout of automatic voter registration didn’t go as planned. Since April 2018, when California residents go to the Department of Motor Vehicles to register a car or get a license, they are added to the state voter rolls — unless they opt out.
Opinion: It’s Time for California to Put Family-Business Designation into State Law
Fox&Hounds
Why are family businesses important? Take a look at the data: family businesses nationwide generate 64 percent of the nation’s gross domestic product, employ 60 percent of the workforce and create 78 percent of all new jobs.
Commentary: Voters anxious about public order and affordability
Fox&Hounds
Reports of steady growth and low unemployment cheer political leaders, but voters are disturbed by decaying public order and an unaffordable cost of living, according to a recently released CalChamber poll, The People’s Voice, 2019.
The Rich are Getting Richer in California
NBC Bay Area
The latest numbers from the US Census Bureau show California's upper and lower income classes are moving away from each other, despite efforts to bridge the gap.
See also:
Income inequality is on the rise in California. In some Bay Area counties, the disparities are extreme. Mercury News
Opinion: California’s Tax-the-Rich Boomerang
Wall Street Journal
Democrats in California have raised taxes on the rich again and again, and liberals claim it has no effect on taxpayer migration and does no harm to state tax revenue. A new study finds the opposite.
Federal:
Trump team weakens endangered species protections for California salmon and delta smelt
Los Angeles Times
In a move that would boost water deliveries to San Joaquin Valley agriculture and Southern California cities, federal fishery agencies are weakening decade-old endangered species protections for some of the state’s most imperiled native fish populations.
Opinion: Trump’s presidency is a train wreck. Let us count the ways
Los Angeles Times
As Thomas Jefferson wrote in another context: “To prove this, let facts be submitted to a candid world.”
Unemployment Insurance: Programs and Benefit
Congressional Research Service
Certain benefits may be available to unemployed workers to provide them with income support during a spell of unemployment. The cornerstone of this income support is the joint federal-state Unemployment Compensation (UC) program
Elections 2020:
Largest School Bond In California History Will Be On March 2020 Ballot
KVPR
California’s March 2020 primary ballot will ask voters whether to approve the largest school bond in the state’s history. If approved, the $15 billion bond Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Monday would fund construction and modernization projects at all levels: preschools, K-12, community colleges and the UC and CSU systems.
Buttigieg focus groups found being gay “a barrier” for black South Carolina voters
Merced Sun-Star
Internal focus groups conducted by Pete Buttigieg’s presidential campaign this summer reveal a key reason why he is struggling with African-American voters: many see his sexuality as a problem.
See also:
Mark Zuckerberg Has Quietly Recommended Campaign Hires to Pete Buttigieg Bloomberg
Poll: Iowa caucuses are 'up for grabs' as Pete Buttigieg surges into top tier USAToday
Elizabeth Warren vows to end federal funding for new charter schools
Los Angeles Times
Democratic presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren has announced an education proposal pledging to spend hundreds of billions of dollars on public schools while ending all federal funding to create new charter schools.
See also:
Warren Would Use Wealth Tax to Fund $800 Billion Education Plan Wall Street Journal
New book whacks Kamala Harris’ AG record during housing crisis
Politico
Kamala Harris catapulted to Democratic stardom on a narrative based on her role as California’s attorney general during the housing crisis, when she was an unrelenting adversary of big banks and mortgage lenders, and a champion of consumers.
Julián Castro says he needs $800,000 in 10 days or his presidential campaign is over
Los Angeles Times
Former Obama administration Housing Secretary Julián Castro said Monday he’d drop out of the presidential race if he didn’t raise $800,000 in 10 days — following the lead of rival Cory Booker, who rode a similar plea to a recent uptick in donations.
More States and Cities Getting Interested in Ranked Choice Voting
RouteFifty
Ranked choice voting has been used in other countries for decades, but is just now starting to gain steam in states and cities across the United States. For individual voters it functions pretty much the same everywhere it’s employed: when filling out a ballot, voters get to rank each candidate in order of preference.
Facebook Finds New Disinformation Campaigns and Braces for 2020 Torrent
New York Times
Facebook said on Monday that it had recently taken down four state-backed disinformation campaigns, the latest of dozens that it has identified and removed this year and a sign of how foreign interference online is increasing ahead of the 2020 presidential election.
See also:
Facebook ramps up election security efforts ahead of 2020 PBS NewsHour
Older People Shared Fake News on Facebook More Than Others in 2016 Race, Study Says New York Times
Mark Zuckerberg is the new political villain for the Democratic Party Vox
Other:
MADDY INSTITUTE PUBLIC POLICY PROGRAMMING
Sunday, October 20, at 10 a.m. on ABC30 – Maddy Report: “California’s Concealed Carry Permits: The Wild West of Permitting?” – Guest: California State Auditor Elaine Howle. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.
Sunday, October 20, at 10 a.m. on Newstalk 580AM/105.9FM (KMJ) – Maddy Report - Valley Views Edition: “Concealed Carry Permits: Are Valley Standards the De Facto State Standards?” – Guests: Fresno Co Sheriff Margaret Mims, Tulare Co Sheriff Mike Boudreaux, Stanislaus Co Sheriff Adam Christianson. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.
Sunday, October 20, at 7:30 a.m. on UniMas 61 (KTTF) – El Informe Maddy: “Indices de Reincidencia y Programas de Apoyo” – Invitado: Joe Hayes, Investigator del Instituto de Politicas Publicas de California, Esther Olmos and Anita Flores con Project Rebound de Fresno State. Presentado Por: Coordinadora del Programa del Maddy Institute, Maria Jeans.
AGRICULTURE/FOOD
Farmworkers fell ill after alleged pesticide exposure. ‘It’s going to keep happening’
Idaho Statesman
No one, not even their supervisors or the labor contractor they worked for, knew the onion field across the road was scheduled to be sprayed. And no one warned them to leave before it was too late.
Cosmic Crisp apple variety to debut in stores this December: 'Ultra-crisp, very juicy'
abc30
They call it the Cosmic Crisp. It's a new variety of apple, coming to a grocery store near you Dec. 1. Cosmic Crisp is the first apple ever bred in Washington state, which grows the majority of the United States' apples. It's expected to be a game changer.
Stanislaus supervisors are asked to keep cannabis shop in Empire. It’s near homes.
Modesto Bee
Stanislaus County supervisors on Tuesday will consider a development agreement for Empire Health and Wellness to operate a cannabis retail shop and delivery service on Highway 132, east of Modesto.
What we know about city’s cannabis connections, from Moscow to Sacramento
Sacramento Bee
Sacramento’s legal cannabis industry has been drawn into a campaign-finance scandal that’s part of the impeachment inquiry of President Donald Trump. The local story is complicated. Many questions remain unanswered.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE / FIRE / PUBLIC SAFETY
Crime:
Evidence from hundreds of rape survivors’ bodies sat in a Fresno police freezer for years
Fresno Bee
Until the last few months, 765 rape kits – each marked with the victim’s name and the date of the assault – gathered from these exams sat untested in a freezer at the Fresno Police Department. If not for a grant from an unlikely source, the kits would likely still be there.
Visalia attorney could be disbarred for taking $33,000 from auto accident client
abc30
Richard Rumery's website is still up. But his name has been removed from the outside of his Visalia office. According to documents filed with the State Bar Court, the attorney intends to stop practicing law this year and resign from the bar.
Public Safety:
New Study Suggests Tactics For Agencies To Improve Use Of Gunshot Detection Technology
Capital Public Radio
A new study has differing results for the same gunshot detection technology used by the Sacramento Police and Sheriff's departments. The technology uses sensors that work together to identify the site of a gunshot to within a couple of feet.
See also:
Despite Lack of City Funding, A Father’s Quest To Lower Gun Violence In Fresno Gets Results KVPR
Gun Suicide Deaths are Increasing, Costing Billions Per Year, Report Shows Newsweek
Black mold is growing in California prisons, but federal officials won’t test it
Sacramento Bee
Hundreds of correctional officers across the U.S. are working in prisons – including two in California – with mold growing in areas constantly populated by both officers and inmates.
Fire:
Wildfire season slows. Time to set the good kind of fire in and near Tuolumne County
Modesto Bee
Prescribed burning, designed to reduce the fuel for catastrophic fires, will ramp up in and near Tuolumne County starting this week. Land managers do the intentional burning at times of the year when it is unlikely to get out of control.
PG&E plans another big blackout. Here’s how many Californians could lose power
Fresno Bee
Get ready for another major blackout, courtesy of PG&E Corp. The troubled utility warned Monday that it could shut power Wednesday night to as many as 209,000 households and businesses to safeguard portions of its grid from gusting winds and the threat of a major wildfire.
See also:
California Can Expect Blackouts For A Decade, Says PG&E CEO KVPR
Interview: Stanford Professor Says California Blackouts Not A ‘False Choice’ KVPR
PG&E Announces New Potential Outages, Weeks After Massive Shutoff Capital Public Radio
PG&E plans another big blackout. Here’s how many Californians could lose power Sacramento Bee
San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo Wants City to Explore Possibility of Breaking Up with PG&E San Jose Inside
PG&E prepares for another power outage San Francisco Chronicle
California Braces For More Power Outages Amid Possible PG&E Buyout Forbes
More than 200,000 customers could be impacted by round two of PG&E’s power shut-offs Fox40
Are Blackouts The Future For California? Valley Public Radio
EDITORIAL: PG&E insists power outages are the answer to fire danger. More may be coming as soon as this week. San Francisco Chronicle
Are adjusters cheating wildfire victims? California insurance chief says no - and yes
Fresno Bee
Two wildfire victims are suing California’s top insurance regulator, alleging the state failed to protect Californians from unscrupulous, out-of-state adjusters working illegally in California who mishandled claims. The Department of Insurance is fighting the case in court, saying in documents that the suit is “an attempt to manufacture a ‘crisis’ that does not exist.”
ECONOMY / JOBS
Economy:
Latinos and the California Dream
Orange County Register
For Latinos, the California Dream is becoming an unattainable fantasy. The dream that inspired generations to come West and find success as defined by the individual has all but vanished for the state’s largest ethnic group.
Unemployment Insurance: Programs and Benefit
Congressional Research Service
Certain benefits may be available to unemployed workers to provide them with income support during a spell of unemployment. The cornerstone of this income support is the joint federal-state Unemployment Compensation (UC) program
Jobs:
Help Wanted: Too Many Jobs and Not Enough Workers in Most States
Pew Trusts
A labor shortage is jeopardizing economic expansion in almost every state, putting pressure on lawmakers to find ways to attract more residents and coax people who have dropped out of the workforce to rejoin it.
Amend the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act for more inclusive growth and better jobs
Brookings
The centerpiece of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) was cutting the corporate rate from 35 to 21 percent. Supporters argued that this would make the United States a more competitive place for business, leading to more economic growth and higher wages.
EDUCATION
K-12:
Paperwork filed to start recall effort of FUSD board trustee Terry Slatic
Fresno Bee
Stacy Williams, who is leading the effort to get Fresno Unified School District board trustee Terry Slatic removed from office, was joined by supporters as she filed paperwork at the county elections office to get the recall process started.
See also:
BHS Parent Center helps non-native English speakers get involved in their children's education
Bakersfield Californian
Catalina Ramirezjuarez wondered why she was not receiving any Bakersfield High School communication in the mail this year. Turns out the wrong address was listed under her children's information. So she went into the school's Parent Center to get it fixed.
Trial set in lawsuit accusing Merced school officials of mishandling sexual harassment
Merced Sun-Star
A trial date has been set for Golden Valley High teacher Annie Delgado’s sexual harassment lawsuit against the Merced Union High School District. California Visiting Judge Josh M. Fredricks on Monday set a jury trial for Sept. 8, 2020.
AEI
K–12 innovation has a fundamental paradox: Meaningful improvements to student outcomes require learning models that challenge the basic constructs of how classrooms operate—and yet, the more new education models do so, the harder they become for schools to adopt.
Higher Ed:
Clovis Community College one of the fastest growing in the state
abc30
Clovis Community College is being recognized as one of the fastest-growing campuses of it's kind in the state. In the past seven years, the school has nearly doubled in size. "The enrollment happened so quickly," says President Dr. Lori Bennett.
Bakersfield College employees fight district for better contracts
Bakersfield Now
Bakersfield College employees, along with their district counterparts in Ridgecrest and Porterville, are still negotiating for better pay, after their contracts expired 15 months ago.
Amador County Builds Community College Pipeline For Mental Health Workers
Capital Public Radio
College pennants and framed certificates hang on the walls of the Amador Economic Prosperity Center. Computer stations fill the center of the room, and a shelf near the printer is stacked with used textbooks.
$500,000 donation to Fresno State gives students chance to study abroad
abc30
A generous donation to Fresno State will offer students new perspective while they also get a chance to travel the globe. Approximately 650 Fresno State students studied in 26 different countries last year. The experience changed their view of the world.
Lori Loughlin faces moment of truth in college admissions scandal as daughters exit USC
Los Angeles Times
Felicity Huffman is now serving time behind bars. Other high-profile parents in the college admissions case have pleaded guilty. But so far, there is no indication from Lori Loughlin and her camp about whether she plans to fight the charges or join others and make a deal with prosecutors.
Apprenticeships:
Straight up conversation: A tuition-free, purpose-driven, coat-and-tie trade school
AEI
Williamson College of the Trades is a character-driven trade school enrolling 260 students, all of whom graduate debt-free.
ENVIRONMENT/ ENERGY
Environment:
Trump team weakens endangered species protections for California salmon and delta smelt
Los Angeles Times
In a move that would boost water deliveries to San Joaquin Valley agriculture and Southern California cities, federal fishery agencies are weakening decade-old endangered species protections for some of the state’s most imperiled native fish populations.
Climate havoc wipes out coastal kelp as S.F. Bay’s native fish species die off
San Francisco Chronicle
A climate-related catastrophe off the California coast has resulted in the death of 90% of the kelp from San Francisco to Oregon as an explosion of ravenous urchins devours everything in sight.
Exxon’s Climate-Change Accounting Goes on Trial
Wall Street Journal
Exxon Mobil Corp. and New York’s attorney general are headed for a showdown this week over accusations the company deceived investors, a rare trial over how the oil industry accounts for the impact of climate change.
Energy:
Company paying Fresnans to save energy
abc30
It's lights off at Christina Garcia's northwest Fresno home. She's just one of 60,000 Fresno residents who's using OhmConnect, a web site, to get paid for saving electricity. "So I'll shut off my breaker. Unplug everything and we'll just go to my aunt's house or go to the park," said Garcia.
Part of Hwy 99 closes south of Fresno for high-speed rail construction, detours set up
abc30
Traffic is being diverted off the southbound and northbound lanes of Highway 99 south of Fresno as construction continues for the high-speed rail line. Crews are working through the night to construct and extend the Cedar Avenue Viaduct, across the highway.
California ditched coal. The gas company is worried it’s next
Los Angeles Times
Every day, millions of Californians burn a planet-warming fossil fuel to cook dinner, stay warm or take a hot shower. Persuading people to stop using that fuel, natural gas, is shaping up to be the next act in California’s war on climate change.
HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES
Health:
Visalia has a mini revolt over vaping
Valley Voice
Longtime Visalia resident Roy Kendall decided to speak in front of the Visalia City Council meeting on October 7 during public comment. Little did he know that the Visalia Unified School District (VUSD) and many other Visalians had decided to do the same.
Ohio Opioid Settlement Could Set Precedent For California Cases
Capital Public Radio
The nation's three biggest drug distributors and a major drugmaker reached an 11th-hour, $260 million settlement over the toll of the opioids in two Ohio counties, averting what would have been the first federal trial over the crisis.
Desert Sun
Imperial County is seeking to declare a public health emergency at the Salton Sea, The Desert Sun has learned, aiming to force Gov. Gavin Newsom and federal officials to free up emergency funds and take immediate action to tamp down dangerous dust.
Dr. W. Gifford-Jones: Is your baby isolated in a Lysol prison?
Bakersfield Californian
Any doctor would agree that cleanliness is on the pathway to health nirvana. But are we going too far in keeping young children isolated from common germs? Are some parents doing a disservice to their youngsters by keeping them too clean?
Human Services:
As Court Case Imperils Affordable Care Act, Some States Prepare Contingency Plans
Wall Street Journal
A federal appeals court decision that could strike down the Affordable Care Act as soon as this month has rattled officials in several states who are pursuing legislation to preserve some coverage in the absence of any Trump administration contingency plan.
See also:
Medicaid Now Covers a Million Fewer Children New York Times
IMMIGRATION
CalPERS pulls millions of dollars out of immigrant detention companies
Sacramento Bee
CalPERS has sold its stock in two private prison companies that operate detention facilities at the southern U.S. border for the federal government. While the sale pleased advocates who have called for the California Public Employees’ Retirement System to divest from the companies, the $380 pension billion fund isn’t calling it divestment.
LAND USE/HOUSING
Land Use:
Modesto officials consider spending $380,000 for downtown hotel project
Modesto Bee
The City Council on Tuesday could set aside nearly $381,000 to cover Modesto’s costs to explore the potential development of a 200-room, high-end hotel that is expected to bring more visitors and conventions to downtown.
Rails-to-Trails Conservancy
Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC) today released findings from “Active Transportation Transforms America,” the nation’s most comprehensive analysis of the quantifiable impact of trails, walking and biking on the places we live.
Housing:
Homelessness spikes 11% in Tulare, Kings counties
Visalia Times Delta
Tulare County's growing homeless population has been discussed countless times by county and city officials. A new report by Kings/Tulare Homeless Alliance sheds light on the regional problem.
See also:
Visalia spends $2M to combat homelessness. Here's how the money is spent Visalia Times Delta
'Like heaven on Earth': nonprofit envisions 'micro-home community' for Tulare County's homeless Visalia Times Delta
Bakersfield to consider loosening parking restrictions downtown to spur development Bakersfield Californian
Cabins, tents and parking lots: Sacramento to consider new options to address homeless crisis
Sacramento Bee
Under Mayor Darrell Steinberg’s leadership, the city of Sacramento has focused on opening large shelters with services as the main mechanism to address the city’s worsening homeless crisis.
New law makes it easier for authorities to force troubled homeless into conservatorships
PublicCEO
Reflecting frustration over the fact that years of adding resources to fighting homelessness had brought little progress, Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed a bill making it significantly easier for authorities in three counties with 40 percent of California’s population to force the most severely troubled individuals into conservatorships.
What New Orleans Can Teach Other Cities About Reducing Homelessness
PEW
In the shadow of the Superdome — the epicenter of Hurricane Katrina’s horrors — Will Vanslaughter zips in and out of traffic, scrubbing windshields, charming drivers, armed with a squeegee, a water bottle and a smile.
San Francisco Chronicle
Californians have named homelessness as the most important issue facing the state today. Their two other top issues — jobs and the economy, followed by housing costs — are closely related to homelessness.
See also:
Newsom says he’s done a good job fixing California’s housing crisis. Facts say otherwise Los Angeles Times
Affordable housing is disappearing. So cities are designating parking lots to sleep in. Vox
As Homelessness Surges in California, So Does a Backlash New York Times
PUBLIC FINANCES
California’s State Auditor Ranks the Fiscal Health of over 470 California Cities
Auditor of the State of California
As part of the California State Auditor’s high-risk local government audit program, the Auditor has established a process for determining whether a local government agency is at risk of fiscal distress.
How Would More Saving Affect the National Retirement Risk Index?
Center for Retirement Research
50 percent of working-age households are at risk of falling short in retirement. The results show that boosting the 401(k) contribution rate for eligible workers by 5 percentage points would only modestly reduce retirement risk overall.
California state worker raises to cost $5.6 billion under Gavin Newsom’s new contracts
Merced Sun-Star
Nearly two-thirds of California state workers will receive raises in the coming months based on new contracts their unions negotiated with Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration this year.
TRANSPORTATION
Gov. Gavin Newsom wants investigation of state's high gas prices
abc30
A new analysis from the California Energy Commission says California drivers are paying as much as $1 more per gallon of gasoline than the rest of the country. The commission concluded the primary cause was "simply that California's retail gasoline outlets are charging higher prices."
See also:
Californians pay high prices for gas, and Gavin Newsom wants an investigation Sacramento Bee
California’s high gas prices will be investigated for possible price fixing Los Angeles Times
California governor wants investigation of high gas prices Associated Press
California’s sky-high gas prices: Newsom seeks probe of ‘mystery surcharge’ San Francisco Chronicle
Bakersfield to consider loosening parking restrictions downtown to spur development
Bakersfield Californian
In the city of Bakersfield’s ever-evolving quest to revitalize its downtown, local officials are considering loosening parking restrictions for developers in an attempt to bring more people to the city’s main hub. A rule would get rid of the requirement that developers add parking when buildings undergo changes of use.
U.S. Roadway Deaths Decline for Second Straight Year in 2018
Wall Street Journal
U.S. traffic fatalities fell for a second consecutive year in 2018, a decline federal safety regulators attribute to auto makers outfitting more new vehicles with safety technologies that better protect when accidents occur.
Want a Better Bus System? Here's Where to Start.
CityLab
Public buses supply 4.7 billion rides every year in the U.S.*, and get very little respect in return. Buses, anywhere, are typically ignored in the media, in federal funding debates, and in industry discussions on mobility and sustainability.
WATER
Less groundwater likely available
Porterville Recorder
The East Tule Groundwater Sustainability Water Agency is racing the clock when it comes to meeting the state’s requirements by next year but the message is this: Those who use groundwater will have to prepare for the possibility of pumping 10 percent less than they have in the past, beginning as soon as next year.
Commentary: A new approach for managing California’s water and improving the environment
CalMatters
The need to maintain reliable water supply for California’s farms, families and cities while protecting the environment has been at the forefront of our minds as we have worked to review and finalize a new operations plan for the federal Central Valley Project and the State Water Project.
“Xtra”
Before The Brewery District: Fresno Property Owner All In On Burgeoning Corner
Business Journal
When demand prompted Tioga-Sequoia Brewing Co. to debut its beer garden in 2014, it did so virtually isolated from the rest of the city. It was turnout at events such as FresYes Fest that justified the risk to invest in Downtown Fresno.
Halloween Events in Fresno, Kings, Madera, Mariposa, Merced, and Tulare Counties
abc30
A list of Halloween events and pumpkin patches around the Central Valley.
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Maddy Institute Updated List of San Joaquin Valley Elected Officials HERE.
The Kenneth L. Maddy Institute at California State University, Fresno was established to honor the legacy of one of California’s most principled and effective legislative leaders of the last half of the 20th Century by engaging, preparing and inspiring a new generation of governmental leaders for the 21st Century. Its mission is to inspire citizen participation, elevate government performance, provide non-partisan analysis and assist in providing solutions for public policy issues important to the region, state and nation.
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