POLICY & POLITICS
North SJ Valley:
A workshop for office seekers. And, oddly, Stanislaus County has an election Nov. 5.
Modesto Bee
The Stanislaus County registrar of voters will hold workshops Thursday teaching the basic requirements to prospective office seekers for the March 3 primary.
City manager resigns; council appoints interim as Turlock’s turmoil continues
Modesto Bee
The Turlock City Council has appointed a longtime employee to serve as interim city manager after Monday’s abrupt resignation.
EDITORIAL: Modesto rises above straight pride’s publicity stunt
Modesto Bee
Saturday’s straight pride publicity stunt turned out to be mostly a dud. Organizers hoped news of their rally, or parade, or whatever they hoped to stage, would draw hundreds of supporters from the woodwork.
Central SJ Valley:
Want to save money on your power bill? Fresno councilmember wants to go around PG&E
Fresno Bee
He says Fresno residents could cut costs by 20%.
South SJ Valley:
Salas joins community car cleanup to improve air quality
Hanford Sentinel
Assemblymember Rudy Salas joined the annual Tune In and Tune Up car clean-up event hosted by Valley Clean Air Now (Valley CAN), Healthy Air Living, and the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District, to encourage community members to get their cars checked and repaired to help improve air quality in the Valley.
Zigler set to retire, Valley Pure up for approval
Porterville Recorder
Tonight’s Lindsay City Council was the last one for City Manager Bill Zigler, as his final day working for the city will be Friday. Zigler will head off into his retirement after this week.
Kern County Board of Supervisors ends fiscal emergency with budget
Bakersfield Californian
The Kern County Board of Supervisors have declared an end to the fiscal emergency that has been plaguing the county for the last four years. In a unanimous vote, supervisors passed the $2.9 billion Fiscal Year 2019-2020 budget, bringing to a close a period of austerity for county officials in which departments were forced to trim around 12 percent of their expenses.
Environmentalists slam Chevron, state regulators over Kern County oil releases
KQED
Environmental groups are calling for increased scrutiny of California's oil and gas industry after learning that more than 50 million gallons of crude oil flowed out of the ground in an uncontrolled release near a Chevron facility in Kern County over the last 16 years.
State:
Will letting bars stay open late help Gavin Newsom? He’ll soon act on bills affecting his company
Fresno Bee
Gov. Gavin Newsom, whose investments in the hospitality industry made him a millionaire, put his holdings in a blind trust after winning last year’s governor’s race.
Gavin Newsom drops plan for a California ‘homeless czar.’ Here’s what he’s doing instead
Sacramento Bee
California Gov. Gavin Newsom is backing away from his campaign promise to appoint a “cabinet-level secretary” on homelessness.
5 seek election to rural Northern California Assembly seat
Bakersfield Californian
Four Republicans and one Democrat are seeking to succeed a state Assemblyman in a sprawling, Republican-leaning Northern California district.
See also:
Democrat, Republican lead in California Assembly race Sacramento Bee
How California’s voters may have saved Trump from releasing his taxes
San Francisco Chronicle
Forty-seven years ago, California’s voters opened the state’s presidential primaries to all nationally recognized candidates. That ballot measure could determine the fate of a new state law requiring President Trump and his competitors to release their tax returns in order to run in next year’s primaries.
California Assembly approves medical cannabis on K-12 campuses
Business Journal
The California Assembly approved a bill Monday that lets school boards decide whether parents can administer medical marijuana on school campuses. It would allow the use of marijuana in non-smoking form.
Can states restrict how electors cast presidential votes? Supreme Court may have to decide
Los Angeles Times
Heading into what looks to be a hard-fought presidential election, the Supreme Court will likely be asked to resolve a lingering but fundamental question about the creaky, little-understood electoral college system adopted in 1787.
More political donations to Insurance Commissioner are linked to companies he regulates
San Diego Union-Tribune
Some insurer donations to the regulator are obscured by hedge funds, related entities.
2019 California Economic Summit Registration Opens
CAFWD
Registration has opened for the 2019 California Economic Summit, which will take place in Fresno on November 7-8. The Summit, produced by California Forward, marks the eighth annual gathering of private, public and civic leaders from across California’s diverse regions committed to creating a shared economic agenda to expand prosperity for all.
Federal:
Trump to nominate Eugene Scalia as new secretary of labor
abc30
The White House has confirmed President Donald Trump's Twitter announcement that Eugene Scalia, son of the late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, is his pick to become the next secretary of labor.
Bugged and storming: Trump lashes out about bedbugs and nuking hurricanes
Los Angeles Times
In railing to his 63.6 million Twitter followers, Trump gave those stories global visibility — demonstrating his penchant for taking arms against even minor slights, and the scattershot focus that defines his stream-of-consciousness presidency.
See also:
From Greenland to tariffs, Trump’s candor delights supporters and worries critics Sacramento Bee
Is there any matter of state Trump won’t try to make a buck from? Los Angeles Times
Deutsche Bank has Trump-related tax returns sought by House Democrats
Los Angeles Times
Deutsche Bank has confirmed that it has tax returns requested by U.S. lawmakers seeking financial information for President Trump and his family. Whose returns are those? That’s still a secret.
Obama takes on partisan gerrymandering with new initiative
Los Angeles Times
Former President Obama announced a new initiative on Monday aimed at ending partisan gerrymandering.
Trump officially nominates Eugene Scalia as Labor secretary pick
The Hill
President Trump on Tuesday officially nominated longtime labor lawyer Eugene Scalia to be Secretary of Labor.
‘You are helping him’: Vulnerable Democrats grilled on impeachment
Politico
The very first question Rep. Katie Porter received at a town hall here, for example, was where she stood on impeaching Trump. To rousing applause, the vulnerable California Democrat told the crowd that she favors impeachment — even though some worry it would play into the president’s hands.
Elections 2020:
Biden: Racism in US is institutional, ‘white man’s problem’
Fresno Bee
Racism in America is an institutional "white man's problem visited on people of color," Vice President Joe Biden said Tuesday, arguing that the way to attack the issue is to defeat President Donald Trump and hold him responsible for deepening the nation's racial divide.
See also:
Joe Biden seems to think school segregation is nearly unsolvable. These efforts prove him wrong Los Angeles Times
California workers have the power to help pick a presidential nominee. Will they use it?
Sacramento Bee
California’s most powerful labor unions will defer to their national leadership in deciding any 2020 presidential endorsement.
Elizabeth Warren isn’t just a former Harvard professor. She doled out advice for Dr. Phil
Los Angeles Times
When Elizabeth Warren’s supporters tried to get her appointed head of a new federal consumer agency nearly a decade ago, they enlisted a surprising ally: Dr. Phil.
Biden, Sanders and Warren are tied for the lead in one poll. Biden’s on top in another
Los Angeles Times
A new poll this week shows Joe Biden losing his front-runner status in the Democratic presidential race, but another released the same day shows the former vice president maintaining a solid lead over his top rivals, Sens. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts.
Tom Steyer, Marianne Williamson on verge of being bounced from next debate
San Francisco Chronicle
The final day to qualify for the next Democratic presidential debate is Wednesday — and half the candidates in the field are unlikely to make the cut.
Pete Buttigieg Is Losing Momentum Nationally, Poll Finds
Wall Street Journal
After picking up early momentum in the cycle, Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg has seen his national poll numbers weaken in recent weeks.
See also:
Washington Post
President Trump is so eager to complete hundreds of miles of border fence ahead of the 2020 presidential election that he has directed aides to fast-track billions of dollars’ worth of construction contracts, aggressively seize private land and disregard environmental rules, according to current and former officials involved with the project.
Facebook will require buyers of political ads to provide more information about who paid for them
Washington Post
The tech giant said it would tighten some of its rules around ads touting candidates or promoting hot-button issues, which would increase transparency ahead of the 2020 presidential election.
Facebook Ad Prices Surge Due to Barrage by Democratic Hopefuls
Wall Street Journal
Candidates pour money into ads to attract donors and meet debate threshold, pricing others out of market.
Democrats’ Emerging Tax Idea: Look Beyond Income, Target Wealth
Wall Street Journal
Lawmakers and 2020 candidates offer a range of options focused on capturing some of the trillions of dollars in assets belonging to the nation’s richest
1 big thing: The great Democratic gamble
AXIOS
Democrats are increasingly taking far-left positions most would not have dreamed of — or dared — taking three short years ago, Axios CEO Jim VandeHei writes.
Other:
Post office closes services due to internet outage
Visalia Times Delta
For at least one day last week and again on Tuesday, the Town Center Post Office in downtown Visalia suspended many of its services.
Cornel West delivers impassioned speech at Fresno City College
Fresno Bee
An overflow crowd, estimated to be over 1,000, gathered to hear Cornel West, a prominent and provocative democratic intellectual, philosopher, political activist and social critic speak deliver an impassioned speech at the FCC Speakers Forum.
See also:
Add gender discrimination to the list of global disasters the U.S. won’t tackle
Los Angeles Times
The United States overall has too many of the hallmarks of the 41% of countries where formal patriarchy is in place.
Littler Publications
On August 20, 2019, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit issued an opinion in Dorman v. Charles Schwab Corp., overturning its 1984 position in Amaro v. Continental Can Co. that lawsuits filed under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) are not arbitrable.
MADDY INSTITUTE PUBLIC POLICY PROGRAMMING
Sunday, September 1, at 10 a.m. on ABC30 – Maddy Report: “Countdown to the 2020 Census” – Guests: Secretary of State, Alex Padilla; Sarah Bohn, PPIC; and John Myers, Los Angeles Times. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.
Sunday, September 1, at 10 a.m. on Newstalk 580AM/105.9FM (KMJ) – Maddy Report - Valley Views Edition: “Census & Immigration: Distinctly Different Issues Intersect” – Guests: Laura Hill with the Public Policy Institute of California; Taryn Luna with the Sacramento Bee; Dan Walters with CALmatters, Secretary of State, Alex Padilla; Sarah Bohn, PPIC; and John Myers, Los Angeles Times. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.
Sunday, September 1, at 7:30 a.m. on UniMas 61 (KTTF) – El Informe Maddy: “Participación en 2018: lo que puede significar para 2020” – Invitados: Secretario de Estado Alex Padilla, Gisell Gasca - Mi Familia Vota y Alexei Koseff con San Francisco Chronicle. Presentado Por: Coordinadora del Programa del Maddy Institute, Maria Jeans.
AGRICULTURE/FOOD
Here's how almonds get harvested in the Central Valley
abc30
Almonds are the top crop in Fresno County and the second-largest in the state, but unless you grew up near orchards, you may not know how they're harvested.
Melon harvest begins, expected to last into October
abc30
Workers in western Fresno County will tell you it's been a good year for the organic melon crop. Harvest requires coordination as they quickly move through each row.
Valley's first CBD store opens in central Fresno
abc30
CBD Center just opened its doors to customers at First and McKinley. The products range from CBD water to tinctures to lotions and more. The CBD oil and product market are growing. Experts predict over the next four years it will grow $1.9 billion.
In California, Trump’s trade war threatens permanent damage to some agriculture markets
Palm Desert Sun
As tensions and tariffs continue to escalate with China, one of the biggest battles being fought in the trade war is on U.S. soil. Agriculture has been a major target and farmers are feeling the pain from the financial feud that has now stretched over a year and a half.
See also:
Chart: California marijuana market experiences license contraction in 2019
Marijuana Business Daily
Before January 2018, when California launched its legal recreational cannabis market, estimates of how many dispensaries peppered the state’s landscape were in the thousands.
EDITORIAL: Trump betting the farms on trade war
San Francisco Chronicle
For all President Trump’s cheap flattery of the heartland and its “great Patriot Farmers,” his administration is proving remarkably expensive for American agriculture.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE / FIRE / PUBLIC SAFETY
Crime:
Bakersfield Priest Sues Founder Of Catholic Group For Defamation
VPR
A Valley priest who has been the target of several sexual abuse allegations is suing the founder of a Catholic organization for defamation.
Washington Post
Ring has quietly forged video-sharing partnerships with more than 400 police departments, giving them access to footage from millions of high-resolution cameras installed by homeowners.
Los Angeles Times
One of the bedrock principles of the criminal justice system is that, with limited exceptions, offenders return to society as full members with all rights and privileges restored after their punishment is completed.
Public Safety:
Oakland company creates breath detector for pot, alcohol
abc30
Since recreational cannabis became legal in 2018, the California highway patrol says arrests and injuries from drivers getting behind the wheel stoned has increased, but there are no consistent standards for determining when a driver took that cannabis, until now.
Yosemite Ranger Receives Prestigious National Honor
Sierra News
Yosemite National Park Ranger Jack Hoeflich is among the best and most versatile park rangers in the country — and he’s now got the hardware to prove it.
Op-Ed: How California can use technology to wipe the slate clean for millions with criminal records
Los Angeles Times
Seen and unseen, algorithms are being used every day to target ads, optimize decisions, and determine which content and articles (including this one) we see.
Op-Ed: Three gun reforms Republicans in Congress could embrace
Los Angeles Times
When Congress reconvenes in September, President Trump has a golden opportunity to “own the libs,” as the conservative kids online say.
Trump Administration to Divert Hurricane Relief Funds for Border Detention
Wall Street Journal
Department of Homeland Security plans to transfer money allocated by Congress for other purposes.
See also:
Trump admin pulling millions from FEMA disaster relief to send to southern border NBC Newsimmigrants at one time.
Fire:
PG&E bankruptcy case keeps getting more complex
San Francisco Chronicle
PG&E Corp.’s bankruptcy is growing increasingly complicated as it grapples with the case’s most pivotal question: How much money does the company owe victims of wildfires its equipment started?
Insider Warned of Catastrophic Risk to PG&E’s Aging Transmission System Before Camp Fire
NBC News
Back in 2007, PG&E hired a low-key outsider, Ed Salas, to help assess the risks it faced.
Alta
Longer fire seasons, bigger blazes, and urban encroachment into the wilderness pose new challenges for those charged with fighting flames from the sky.
ECONOMY / JOBS
Economy:
More Californians are taking loans with 3-digit interest rates. Will state restrict them?
Fresno Bee
As California borrowers move away from small payday loans, new data from a state agency show they’ve shifted to larger and more expensive credit with triple-digit interest.
U.S. Companies In China Get Caught In The Trade War Crossfire
Capital Public Radio
President Trump recently tweeted that American companies would be better off without China. But many American companies earn a significant portion of their profits there.
See also:
Has America’s China Backlash Gone Too Far? Wall Street Journal
Fed Rejects Call to Consider Politics in Policy Decisions
Wall Street Journal
Former official says central bank should consider thwarting Trump’s re-election, sparking blowback.
2019 California Economic Summit Registration Opens
CAFWD
Registration has opened for the 2019 California Economic Summit, which will take place in Fresno on November 7-8. The Summit, produced by California Forward, marks the eighth annual gathering of private, public and civic leaders from across California’s diverse regions committed to creating a shared economic agenda to expand prosperity for all.
Jobs:
California should change law to give CHP officers smaller raises, report recommends
Sacramento Bee
Forty-five years ago, when California passed a law to give automatic annual raises to Highway Patrol officers.
California law puts home cooks in the gig economy
Marketplace
new California law lets cooks sell food from their home with a home kitchen permit. The allowance goes beyond typical items sold at farmers markets, permitting the sale of perishable food direct to customers, with a few exceptions: it has to be cooked and sold on the same day (and raw oysters are forbidden).
See also:
Are gig workers full-time employees? Several 2020 Democrats running for president think so. Sacramento Bee
Brookings
The U.S. job growth rate has been positive since 2010 and the unemployment rate has been below 5% since the fall of 2016, but many American workers remain vulnerable. To boost wage growth and reduce economic inequality, Kriston McIntosh, Ryan Nunn, and Jay Shambaugh call on policymakers to protect and enhance workers’ rights to collective bargaining.
America’s Women and the Wage Gap
National Partnership for Women and Families
Nationally, the median annual pay for a woman who holds a full-time, year-round job is $41,977 while the median annual pay for a man who holds a full-time, year-round job is $52,146.
EDUCATION
K-12:
Judge orders Slatic and Bullard cheerleader to stay away from each other – for now
Fresno Bee
A judge this week ordered a Fresno Unified Trustee and a Bullard cheerleader to stay 20 yards away from each other until an October hearing when a judge will determine whether to grant a restraining order.
See also:
FUSD trustee has questioned this teen transportation service. Here’s what it does Fresno Bee
Censured FUSD trustee must keep distance from student, restrictive order says abc30
Watch Fresno school superintendent brag about his district while playing a ukulele
Fresno Bee
Fresno Unified School District Superintendent Bob Nelson took a few minutes at a gathering Monday to brag about his district – while playing a ukulele.
Merced superintendent resigns after harassment probe. Leaves with a big paycheck
Merced Sun-Star
The McSwain Union Elementary School District Board cut ties with Superintendent Steve Rosa following an investigation into claims he harassed employees during his two years leading the district.
California Assembly approves medical cannabis on K-12 campuses
Business Journal
The California Assembly approved a bill Monday that lets school boards decide whether parents can administer medical marijuana on school campuses. It would allow the use of marijuana in non-smoking form.
Principal treated students like ‘inmates’
Visalia Times Delta
Some students at Creekside Community Day School are pushing back against media and teacher characterizations of their behavior.
SUSD trustees reward Deasy with 3 percent raise after first year
Stockton Record
Stockton Unified School District Superintendent John Deasy has received a 3 percent raise. Last month, district Board of Trustees voted unanimously to approve the extension that officially went into effect on Aug. 1.
Kern County Superintendent of Schools launches data program with 9 districts
KBAK
Kern County Superintendent of Schools is partnering with nine districts to launch a new pilot program called the Kern Integrated Data System.According to Kern County Superintendent of Schools, KIDS will serve as a data warehouse and analytics solution that provides educators access to information that will help them plan and implement instructional strategies to help close the student achievement gap in Kern County.
Higher Ed:
SAT adversity score soon to be replaced
abc30
The company that administers the SAT college admissions test is replacing the so-called adversity score with a tool that will no longer reduce an applicant's background to a single number, an idea the College Board's chief executive now says was a mistake.
See also:
College Board Drops Its 'Adversity Score' For Each Student After Backlash Capital Public Radio
College Board abandoning SAT ‘adversity score’ after criticism Los Angeles Times
Never Too Late to Start: First day at Porterville College
Porterville Recorder
Dr. Claudia Habib, Porterville College’s new President, was out early Monday morning greeting students arriving at college for the first time, and talking with returning students. “It’s my first official day with students and I’m very excited.”
Adulting 101: Cal students teach course on ‘how to live in the real world and function as an adult’
San Jose Mercury
Lau and Zhou’s 12-week course will cover nine subjects, including time management, money budgeting, health and fitness, job searches and paying taxes. They drew from their own experiences to come up with subjects, but they also researched each heavily during their monthlong winter break last year.
CSUB named 6th Best Bang for the Buck by Washington Monthly
Bakersfield Californian
Cal State Bakersfield is a top choice among students looking for a quality education without spending a fortune on tuition — so much so that the university has been recognized as being among the West's top 10 Best Bangs for the Buck.
CSUB celebrates new school year with weeklong activities
Bakersfield Californian
A new school year at Cal State Bakersfield is officially back in session and the university is celebrating with a weeklong series of events.
Low-cost, free textbooks for California college students
EdSource
As they start a new school year, college students usually come to campus knowing their tuition and room and board costs.
Amid scandals, UCS continues reputation reboot with new provost appointment
Los Angeles Times
As it navigates a raft of high-profile scandals, the University of Southern California has selected a new provost and second-in-command: Charles F. Zukoski, an accomplished chemical engineer and the current provost of the University at Buffalo.
Wall Street Journal
The College Board is right to drop plans for an ‘adversity score.’
EDITORIAL: Community support critical to growth of UC Merced, outgoing chancellor says
Merced Sun-Star
UC Merced, which faced some very tough early years, is not just succeeding, it is thriving. This could not have happened without forging a strong partnership with the people of the San Joaquin Valley, from elected officials and community leaders to our campus neighbors.
Apprenticeships:
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ENVIRONMENT/ ENERGY
Environment:
Forest Service appoints new district boss in Sierra Nevada
Porterville Recorder
A Forest Service district ranger in southwest Colorado who also worked as a natural resource specialist in Utah has been named the new head of the Carson Ranger District covering the eastern Sierra in northern Nevada and California.
Litterers litter ... and an army of volunteers clean up after them
Bakersfield Californian
Even as things sometimes feel like they’re falling apart in downtown Bakersfield — with the issues of homelessness, vandalism, and even garden-variety littering seemingly on the rise — other forces are also active, working to make things better.
California Challenges Trump Plan to Ease Review of Climate Impacts
KQED
Another day, another environmental policy skirmish. California, 17 other states, and Washington, D.C. today challenged a Trump administration plan to limit climate change analysis for major energy and infrastructure projects.
What Does '12 Years to Act on Climate Change' (Now 11 Years) Really Mean?
KQED
The number began drawing attention in 2018, when the United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released a report describing what it would take to keep global temperatures from rising more than 1.5 degrees Celsius, a goal of the Paris climate agreement.
Researchers Press California to Strengthen Landmark Climate Law
KQED
Authors from Stanford Law School, UC Berkeley, UC Santa Barbara, among other institutions released a paper today pressing the California Air Resources Board to strengthen accounting reviews and ensure the state’s landmark climate change law is achieving its goals.
Environmentalists slam Chevron, state regulators over Kern County oil releases
KQED
Environmental groups are calling for increased scrutiny of California's oil and gas industry after learning that more than 50 million gallons of crude oil flowed out of the ground in an uncontrolled release near a Chevron facility in Kern County over the last 16 years.
Sacramento Bee
Nowhere is our leadership more evident than with what we’ve done on climate change. California has set an ambitious goal of reducing overall greenhouse gas emissions in the state to 1990 levels by 2020 and 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2030.
Energy:
PG&E starts publicly predicting power shutoffs one week out
San Francisco Chronicle
PG&E on Tuesday unveiled a new section of its website that forecasts the potential for power shutoffs across its service territory.
Los Angeles has lined up record-cheap solar power. But there’s a problem
Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles has been sitting on a contract for record-cheap solar power for more than a month — and city officials declined to approve it Tuesday because of concerns raised by the city-run utility’s labor union, which is still fuming over Mayor Eric Garcetti’s decision to shut down three gas-fired power plants.
HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES
Health:
Child Health Notebook: CA Legislature considers bills to curb sugar-sweetened drinks
Modesto Bee
The current session of the California Legislature is debating more than 50 bills related to children’s health, though not all are in the final stages.
Want to live longer? Be an optimist, study says
Business Journal
Monty Python aside, focusing on the upside of life could easily be the theme song for a new study focusing on a key component of longevity: optimism.
Purdue Pharma in Talks to Resolve Opioid Cases Through Bankruptcy
Wall Street Journal
Deal valued at $10 billion to $12 billion would direct proceeds to governments that sued OxyContin maker.
See also:
Column: Johnson & Johnson got hit for a $572-million opioid verdict. Why did its stock go up? Los Angeles Times
OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma in talks over multibillion-dollar settlement to resolve more than 2,000 opioid lawsuits Washington Post
Human Services:
Hospital giant, Kaiser, could have to disclose finances
abc30
Hospital giant Kaiser Permanente would have to disclose more financial information about its hospitals under a bill that has cleared the California Legislature.
Kaiser gets top score for LGBTQ health
Business Journal
For the 10th consecutive year, Kaiser Permanente’s hospitals have been recognized as an LGBTQ Healthcare Equality Leader by the Human Campaign Foundation (HRC).
Free eye exams offered in the Central Valley
abc30
The world is coming into focus for dozens of Central Valley residents thanks to a free eye exam clinic. It was all made possible by State Senator Melissa Hurtado in partnership with VSP Global Eyes of Hope.
As Labor Day brings summer’s last hurrah, medical workers get grim drowning refresher
Modesto Bee
Though drownings on rivers and at reservoirs get more attention because of their highly visible search and rescue or recovery efforts, far more drownings occur in residential swimming pools, attendees at a Doctors Medical Center trauma symposium were reminded Tuesday morning.
State: Kaweah Delta has inadequate nursing
Visalia Times Delta
Kaweah Delta remains on pace to have substantially more 2019 complaints than statewide averages compared to other similar-sized hospitals.
California hospices face lax oversight and few rules. The sick and dying pay the price
Sacramento Bee
One day after her 80-year-old mother started hospice care at home last August, Tracy Sellers found herself racing into an emergency room,
Researching Medical Marijuana May Soon Get Easier
Capital Public Radio
Current federal law limits scientists trying to study the health effects of marijuana to plants from one farm in Mississippi. The DEA says it will begin moving on applications for new growers.
Federal judge blocks Missouri’s 8-week abortion ban
Los Angeles Times
A new Missouri ban on abortions at or after eight weeks of pregnancy won’t take effect Wednesday after a federal judge temporarily blocked it from being implemented.
IMMIGRATION
Should migrant kids be held longer than three weeks? California sues over family detention
Sacramento Bee
California is again taking the Trump administration to court over its immigration policies.
Latinos Increasingly 'Afraid' After El Paso, Immigration Raids — And Wary Of Seeking Help
Capital Public Radio
Fears of deportation, on top of longstanding cultural attitudes about mental health, are keeping some Latino Californians from taking advantage of community services.
Administration ends protection for migrant medical care
Business Journal
The Trump administration has eliminated a protection that lets immigrants remain in the country and avoid deportation while they or their relatives receive life-saving medical treatments or endure other hardships, immigration officials said in letters issued to families this month.
Los Angeles Times
A Calexico-based Border Patrol agent has pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor and agreed to resign after admitting to striking a migrant in custody in the face, according to court documents.
Washington Post
President Trump is so eager to complete hundreds of miles of border fence ahead of the 2020 presidential election that he has directed aides to fast-track billions of dollars’ worth of construction contracts, aggressively seize private land and disregard environmental rules, according to current and former officials involved with the project.
LAND USE/HOUSING
Land Use:
This central Fresno Big Lots is closing. See where in north Fresno it plans to reopen
Fresno Bee
The central Fresno Big Lots is almost empty. About three-quarters of the discount store at 5345 N. Blackstone Ave. near Barstow Avenue is nothing but roped-off empty shelves with clearance sale signs. The store is closing, though it has not set a specific closing date.
City could cancel lease with Hanford museum if maintenance isn't done
abc30
Repair rusted parts of the wrought iron fence. Clear debris from walkways. Prune trees that touch the building, and fill all cracks on its exterior. These are just some of the problems the city says the Hanford Carnegie Museum needs to address if they want to stay in the downtown building they've called home for decades.
Not So Super: Walmart pulls plans for Riverwalk Center
Porterville Recorder
Unfortunately, to the frustration of the city and its residents, Walmart has decided to pull its contract for a Super Center in the Riverwalk Marketplace off of Jaye Street and Highway 190.
Vacant lot in Rosedale could be transformed into community center by local nonprofit
Bakersfield Californian
A large vacant lot in Rosedale could soon transform into a sprawling community center with basketball courts and a soccer field. A new local nonprofit organization plans to construct the nine-acre facility on the corner of Meacham Road and Jewetta Avenue.
Landfill expansion project hits another bump
Stockton Record
A proposal before the county’s Board of Supervisors to expand the massive Forward Landfill southeast of Stockton along Austin Road remains in limbo today while its backers have been given time to meet with Federal Aviation Administration officials who sent a letter last Friday objecting to the project.
Surfing tourism’s big wave and transforming the travel industry
CALmatters
California continues to surf a huge economic wave with year-after-year tourism growth, generating more than $140 billion for the state last year and supporting the livelihoods of millions of residents. But as any big wave surfer knows, the thrill of success also comes with perils, and in the case of tourism, the situation can get gnarly fast.
Editorial: Trump is trying to unload America’s public lands to oil companies before the election
Los Angeles Times
In a blatantly cynical ploy to undo 35 years of preservation, the Republican controlled Congress in 2017 buried a provision in the GOP’s tax-cut bill to open portions of the 19 million-acre Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil exploration.
Housing:
Capital Public Radio
Cities near some of California’s biggest job centers are discouraging the construction of new apartments despite high rents and strong housing demand, according to a recent Brookings Institution report.
San Jose Wants to Expedite Permitting and Building of Backyard Homes
KQED
San Jose on Tuesday announced a series of changes designed to make the permitting process easier for Accessory Dwelling Units—also known as backyard homes or in-law apartments. The goal is to incentivize residents to build more of these units on their existing lots.
PUBLIC FINANCES
Good news for Bakersfield sales tax continues as cash from Measure N hits city coffers
Bakersfield Californian
The city of Bakersfield received more financial good news last week when a report indicated sales tax revenue had exceeded last year’s figure by more than 10 percent once again.
CALmatters
Everything old is new again, at least when it comes to punching loopholes in state tax laws to benefit corporate interests.
EDITORIAL: The Federal Reserve Resistance
Wall Street Journal
A recent official urges the central bank to help defeat Donald Trump.
TRANSPORTATION
New signage on Highway 59 in Merced Co. is turning heads
abc30
We've all seen them, whether they're advertisements, proclamations, or safety reminders there are countless signs along our daily commute. But do you remember them?
Recession fears have luxury automakers remembering 2009
abc30
Automakers would like to forget the economic bloodbath of 2009. But with talk of a global recession accelerating in recent weeks, auto executives are preparing for the worst -- while also trying to stay optimistic.
Why California should see its high-speed rail project through
City Metric
In California, there is now a serious proposal afloat to divert dedicated high-speed rail money from the construction effort predominantly taking place in the San Joaquin Valley, located in the state’s centre.
High-speed train to California back on track, construction set for 2020
KTNV Las Vegas
Las Vegas is one step closer to having a high-speed train between the Las Vegas Strip and California.
The California War Is About EVs
Wall Street Journal
The auto industry goes rogue in pursuit of electric vehicle credits from Trump
WATER
August Delta Conveyance Update
California Department of Water Resources
The Department of Water Resources (DWR) is continuing to work on the environmental planning and permitting to modernize State Water Project infrastructure in the Delta.
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Fishing report for week of Aug. 28-Sept. 3: Bass Lake bass, kokanee and trout bites strong
Fresno Bee
Shaver kicking out mixed limits, Dick Nichols reported. Hensley and Eastman bass bites good, Steve Newman said. Bass Lake bass, kokanee and trout bites strong, Mike Beighey reported.
Valley Oak SPCA looking for foster homes for recently rescued dogs
abc30
Several purebred and designer mix dogs are now in the custody of the Valley Oak SPCA in Visalia after the animals were discovered to be severely neglected and growing up in poor living conditions.
Upcoming banquets to honor Kings County law enforcement, farmers
Hanford Sentinel
Two community banquets are set to celebrate agriculture and local law enforcement in Kings County.
Remember the Rat Pack at a revue; more entertainment in Modesto, Mother Lode regions
Modesto Bee
Rat Pack revisitedCreated and performed by Central West Ballet, Rat Pack in Revue is packed with show numbers
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