POLICY & POLITICS
Deadline THIS FRIDAY! $56,000 Wonderful Public Service Graduate Fellowships
The Maddy Institute
Through the generosity of The Wonderful Company, San Joaquin Valley students will have the opportunity to become the next generation of Valley leaders through The Wonderful Public Service Graduate Fellowship. This program helps students obtain an advanced degree from a top graduate program, return home, and apply what they have learned to help make the Valley a better place.
North SJ Valley:
Modesto, other cities were overpaid thousands due to county errors. Will they pay it back?
Modesto Bee
An internal review determined that Stanislaus County overpaid almost $1 million in tax money to its nine cities over a two-year period. Now, the county is asking the cities to give the money back. And cities seem to have a difference of opinion about what they owe.
SJ primary preview: New tech boosts transparency, security
Stockton Record
San Joaquin County Registrar of Voters Melinda Dubroff held an election transparency and observation workshop Saturday at the ROV warehouse near Stockton Metropolitan Airport.
State selects 19 SJ sites as potential affordable housing, emergency shelters
Stockton Record
The California Department of General Services released an updated map showing the 286 properties that Gov. Gavin Newsom mentioned in his recent State of the State address that focused on the state’s homeless crisis.
Central SJ Valley:
Voting centers in Fresno open as California primary nears
abc30
We're still 10 days away from Calif's primary election, but you can start voting in Fresno County. In accordance with California's Voter's Choice Act, several vote centers opened at 9 a.m. Saturday morning. They will be open each day until Election Day on March 3.
Devin Nunes’ lawsuit against Trump research firm dismissed by Virginia judge
Fresno Bee
A federal judge in Virginia dismissed Rep. Devin Nunes’ lawsuit against the investigative research firm behind the so-called Steele dossier, citing shortcomings in the California Republican’s legal complaint.
See also:
New legislation calls for $32 billion funding to help complete High-Speed Rail
abc30
Congressman Jim Costa announced legislation on Friday calling for additional federal funding to help complete California's High-Speed Rail, along with projects in other parts of the country.
See also:
CA Congressman Introduces Federal Bill to Fund High-Speed Rail CA Streetblog
(video) Costa has a new plan for high-speed rail through Fresno. Here’s how much it’ll cost Fresno Bee
(video) High-Speed Rail Funding KSEE 24 NBC Fresno
Funding legislation unveiled for completion of California high-speed rail Global Railway Review
(video) Rep. Jim Costa proposes $32B boost for California’s high-speed rail KGPE CBS 47 Fresno
(video) Rep. Costa Announces New Funding Bill KMPH Fox 26 Fresno
Congressional Candidates Jim Costa and Esmeralda Soria Talk Homelessness, Water And TV Ads
VPR
As the race to represent the 16th congressional district heats up between incumbent Jim Costa and fellow democrat Esmeralda Soria, both candidates stopped by the KVPR studio to talk with FM89's Kathleen Schock about the key issues facing the district, and the attention grabbing television ads from the Costa campaign.
Fresno Bee
As mayor, Janz pledges to end cronyism and political favoritism at City Hall. Rather than give in to growth, as generations of Fresno’s elected leaders have done, Janz would focus on improving existing neighborhoods — a nod to his “no developer money” ethos.
University celebrates the Resnick Student Union groundbreaking
Fresno State Campus News
Fresno State students, leaders and community members celebrated the construction of the new Lynda and Stewart Resnick Student Union with a ceremonial groundbreaking on Feb. 20.
South SJ Valley:
Bernie Sanders supporters come out full throttle at The Park at River Walk
Bakersfield Californian
Much can be said about the various candidates eyeing the White House, but when one of them stops by to visit their supporters, local residents come out in flocks and go wild. That certainly was the case Friday afternoon as Democratic candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders rolled through Bakersfield to hold a Get Out the Early Vote rally.
See also:
‘Please disregard, vote for Bernie’: Inside Bloomberg’s paid social media army Los Angeles Times
Michael Bloomberg’s Troubling Record on Unions and Workers The American Prospect
Willie Brown: Mike Bloomberg can still beat Trump. But he has no business on a debate stage San Francisco Chronicle
Sanders sends Democratic establishment into panic mode Politico
Commentary: Bloomberg’s comments on redlining distort a history of racism Brookings
Ambitious Air Improvement Program Brought Community to The Table - Here's How It's Working So Far
VPR
The San Joaquin Valley lies underneath one of the two most polluted air basins in the country. That’s why, in 2018, two communities here – one in Shafter and one in south-central Fresno – were selected among the first to participate in Assembly Bill 617, an ambitious state law that enables local involvement in air protection.
See also:
Bakersfield Californian election endorsements: Yes on school funding and medical marijuana
Bakersfield Californian
Kern voters are being asked to weigh in on three countywide measures appearing on the March 3 ballot. Two are dueling measures that will decide the fate of medical marijuana sales in Kern County. One is a statewide proposition to authorize the sale of $15 billion in bonds to fund improvements to schools, including community colleges and universities, throughout California.
Law firm alleges fraud as Huerta pushes back against claims he does not live in Fourth District
Bakersfield Californian
Fourth District candidate Emilio Huerta is fighting back against allegations he does not live at the Delano residence he claims to rent.
Rep. Kevin McCarthy: End California’s illegal discrimination against pro-lifers
Daily Signal
On Aug. 22, 2014, the California Department for Managed Health Care issued a directive mandating that all health plans under the agency’s jurisdiction immediately include coverage for abortions. In addition to grossly devaluing human life, this abortion mandate is so radical and far-reaching that millions of people—among them, nuns and pastors and pro-life advocates—have no choice but to include abortion in their health insurance plans.
State:
2020 Primary Election Voter's Guide
abc30
California's primary election is on March 3, 2020, and this year, there are a lot of changes. The expansion of the "Voter's Choice Act" means that voters in many counties across the state, including Fresno and Madera counties, will get a ballot in the mail, even if they are used to going to a polling place.
See also:
Los Angeles Times
Gov. Gavin Newsom may be piloting a lifeboat that will rescue the sinking California Delta. Or he may be in water over his head on a doomed mission. The governor gets angry with skeptics who say he’s being delusional. But history sides with the doubters.
See also:
Fact check: Trump says California is ‘insane’ to ration water Sacramento Bee
EDITORIAL: Don’t be fooled, Modesto farmers — Trump’s California water plan doesn’t help you Modesto Bee
EDITORIAL: Trump wading into California’s water policy with phony answer San Francisco Chronicle
California’s new labor law is a work in progress. Here’s how lawmakers could change it
Fresno Bee
The California Legislature is considering nearly three dozen bills to clean up or repeal the landmark gig economy law signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom just months ago.
See also:
Musicians say AB5 strikes sour note with gig-driven profession San Francisco Chronicle
Still need a Real ID? Here’s how you can save time on your next trip to the DMV
Sacramento Bee
The clock is ticking for the roughly 16 million California drivers who are expected to come to the Department of Motor Vehicles by the end of the year for a Real ID.
California’s presidential primary hinges on big voting changes in LA
Los Angeles Times
When Los Angeles County set out to build a new voting system from scratch more than a decade ago, election officials knew the challenges in serving an electorate larger than those found in any of 39 states.
See also:
Game-changing LA County voting centers open, but some voters turned away amid early glitches Daily News
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez jumps into California politics to help House Dems
San Francisco Chronicle
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a hero to many progressives and a prodigious fundraiser, is singling out a California Democrat as one of a handful of “bold swing district” House members worthy of her supporters’ campaign donations.
CALmatters
How California is using the courts to fight the administration.
CALmatters
Nearly half of all unlimited outside spending comes from old-guard industries: Oil and gas. Realtors. Car dealers. Also some very rich folks.
Opinion: Newsom ignores Assembly Bill 5 blowback at his own peril
Orange County Register
We cannot recall a single political decision in the past 17 years that has given California Democrats the kind of political blowback caused by Assembly Bill 5. That new law forbids companies from using contract labor, but already has resulted in widespread job losses for freelance writers, photographers, sign-language interpreters and other moderate-income Californians who could not carve out exemptions for their particular industries.
Federal:
Supreme Court allows 'public charge' rule to take effect nationwide
The Hill
The Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Trump administration on Friday night in a case that contested the president’s “public charge” rule, which critics have called a “wealth test” for legal immigrants.
Supreme Court to hear case of religion vs. gay rights over fostering
Los Angeles Times
The Supreme Court said Monday it will decide another clash between religion and gay rights, this time involving Philadelphia’s refusal to contract with Catholic Social Services over the group’s refusal to place foster children with same-sex couples.
Trump has flipped the 9th Circuit — and some new judges are causing a ‘shock wave’
Los Angeles Times
When President Trump ticks off his accomplishments since taking office, he frequently mentions his aggressive makeover of a key sector of the federal judiciary — the circuit courts of appeal, where he has appointed 51 judges to lifetime jobs in three years.
Off The Record: Trump Admin Criticized For How It Keeps Documents
NPR
The Trump administration is coming under fire for its handling of certain government records. Historians and activists charge that the White House has failed to keep notes of the president's meetings with foreign leaders, including with Russian President Vladimir Putin, and that other papers, including records of alleged abuses of undocumented immigrants, could be destroyed.
Elections 2020:
Filling out that presidential ballot? Here’s a quick look at candidates and key California issues
Merced Sun-Star
As California Democrats weigh their options in the presidential race ahead of the state’s March 3 primary, many are looking for a candidate they believe is likeliest to beat President Donald Trump in the general election.
Joe Biden unveils new plan on housing, homelessness ahead of California primary
Fresno Bee
Joe Biden unveiled a new $640 billion housing plan on Monday that includes certain homeowner and renter protections already in place in California.
See also:
Sanders wins big in Nevada, rolls toward Calif. with momentum
San Francisco Chronicle
Sen. Bernie Sanders scored an easy win in the Nevada caucuses Saturday, giving him momentum going into California’s Super Tuesday primary and putting him potentially on a path to the Democratic presidential nomination.
See also:
It’s not just ‘Bernie Bros’: Sanders banks on young Latino voters in Nevada — and beyond Sacramento Bee
Sanders Projected To Win Nevada Caucuses, Solidifying Status As Front-Runner Capital Public Radio
Freewheeling, outspoken, and not always on message: The risky role of Bernie Sanders’ surrogates Los Angeles Times
How Sanders would provide free child care and early education for all Politico
Bernie Sanders, powered by diverse liberal coalition, forces a reckoning for Democrats Washington Post
Sanders Brushes Off Questions on Costs, Age on ‘60 Minutes Bloomberg
Bernie Sanders briefed by U.S. officials that Russia is trying to help his presidential campaign Washington Post
Bernie Sanders is working the Latino vote in California, block by block San Francisco Chronicle
Democrats try to blunt strong California showing for Sanders AP News
Commentary: Why California needs Elizabeth Warren as president
CALmatters
To us, the choice is absolutely clear. U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren would be the best president for our country, and she would be an outstanding partner for California. That’s why we urge Californians to vote for her in the March 3 primary.
Steyer pours money into black organizations ahead of primaries
Politico
Steyer’s latest campaign finance report includes donations totaling more than $60,000 to black organizations and institutions.
Winning California’s Democratic presidential primary isn’t as simple as it sounds
Los Angeles Times
Voters in California, like others across the country, have long assumed that only one candidate can win an election. And in most cases, they’re right.
Voting In California's Primary When You Have No Party Preference Gets Complicated
NPR
We're now looking ahead to California, where early voting is underway ahead of the state's March 3 primary. It's the single biggest prize in the Democratic presidential primary.
Reliability of pricey new voting machines questioned
PBS NewsHour Weekend
In the rush to replace insecure, unreliable electronic voting machines after Russia’s interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential race, state and local officials have scrambled to acquire more trustworthy equipment for this year’s election, when U.S. intelligence agencies fear even worse problems.
See also:
Bernie Sanders criticizes California’s voting system: ‘We risk locking out millions’ Sacramento Bee
Bernie Sanders Criticizes California’s Democratic Primary Over No Party Preference Confusion Capital Public Radio
Other:
Our Actions Determine What We Read and See Online. Algorithms Are Only a Part of That Process
RAND
When the Cambridge Analytica scandal broke in early 2018, people were surprised to discover the extent to which their personal data, online behaviours, and preferences had been used to target them for political advertising on Facebook.
See also:
5 questions policymakers should ask about facial recognition, law enforcement, and algorithmic bias
Brookings
In the futuristic 2002 film “Minority Report,” law enforcement uses a predictive technology that includes artificial intelligence (AI) for risk assessments to arrest possible murderers before they commit crimes.
Lincoln Healed a Divided Nation. We Should Heed Him Today.
Time
Abraham Lincoln repeatedly tops polls as our greatest and most revered president. But few people thought so on March 4, 1865, when he took the oath of office for the second time.
75th anniversary of iconic photo of Iwo Jima flag raising
abc30
Sunday marks the 75th anniversary of U.S. forces raising a flag on Iwo Jima, a brief moment in time captured in an iconic photograph that both recognized one of the World War II's bloodiest battles and became a symbol synonymous with the Marine Corps.
See also:
Opinion: Battle for Iwo Jima was 75 years ago. Sacrifices made then still ring out today Sierra Star
MADDY INSTITUTE PUBLIC POLICY PROGRAMMING
Sunday, March 1, at 10 a.m. on ABC30 – Maddy Report: California Latinos: An Economic Analysis - Guests: Mindy Romero, Director of California Civic Engagement Project, Price School of Public Policy at USC. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.
Sunday, March 1, at 10 a.m. on Newstalk 580AM/105.9FM (KMJ) – Maddy Report - Valley Views Edition: Poverty and the Economic Situation of California Latinos? - Guests: Sarah Bohn, Public Policy Institute of California and Mindy Romero, Director of USC Price School of Public School. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.
Sunday, March 1, at 7:30 a.m. on UniMas 61 (KTTF) – El Informe Maddy: Immigration: Opportunities for New Businesses in the Valley - Guests: Dora Westerlund, CEO - The Fresno Area Hispanic Foundation; Yeru Olivares, CFO - The Fresno Area Hispanic Foundation, Yolanda Garcia, Owner - YO'MAMMAS!; Robert Zapata, Opportunity Fund. Host: Maddy Institute Program Coordinator, Maria Jeans.
AGRICULTURE/FOOD
CALmatters
California’s water wars flared last week when Donald Trump signed an order decreeing that the federal Central Valley Project would deliver a “magnificent amount” from the Delta to San Joaquin Valley farms.
Lack of snow in mountains impacting agricultural operations in the Valley
abc30
Pictures from space say it all. Around this time last year, there was plenty of snow in the Sierra Nevada. This year, there's not much to speak of.
Ripon’s Almond Blossom Festival sights and sounds
Modesto Bee
The Almond Blossom Festival is the big event of the year for Ripon, CA, and is always held on the last weekend in February
Study highlights sustainability gains in dairy production
Bakersfield Californian
California dairy operations cause much less harm to the environment than they used to because of various advances during about the last half-century, according to a new report by UC Davis.
Where Democrats in primary stand on pot, weed legalization
Fresno Bee
As Democrats vying for their party’s nomination for president get ready for Super Tuesday on March 3 — when 14 states and more than a third of all delegates are up for grabs — Sen. Elizabeth Warren released a plan for federal marijuana legalization.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE/FIRE/PUBLIC SAFETY
Crime:
Valley water district official dismissed from embezzlement case. Two others to stand trial
Fresno Bee
A Fresno County judge dismissed all charges Friday against one of the defendants accused of embezzling from the Panoche Water District — and threw out several other charges against two former employees.
Bakersfield Californian
The Condemned Inmate Transfer Pilot Program is expected to become effective by the end of March. The two-year pilot program will allow eligible condemned inmates at San Quentin State Prison to voluntarily transfer to one of the designated institutions consistent with their case factors and security level.
Washington Post
The settlement with the U.S. Justice Department and the Securities and Exchange Commission is the latest of several penalties levied against the San Francisco-based bank since it admitted in 2016 its employees had opened millions of bank accounts customers didn’t request.
Public Safety:
Downtown businesses eye voluntary contributions for private security
Bakersfield Californian
A new, private-security model emerging in downtown Bakersfield proposes to supplement city-funded efforts by allowing individual business and property owners to pool their money in support of regular patrols and alarm response-type attention.
Fire:
Loved ones of Jones, Figueroa express gratitude
Porterville Recorder
The loved ones of fallen Porterville City Firefighters Patrick Jones and Ray Figueroa expressed their gratitude over the weekend for all the support they have received. Jones and Figueroa died battling Tuesday's fire that virtually destroyed the Porterville Public Library.
See also:
Fallen Porterville firefighters remembered Visalia Times Delta
Teens charged with murder in library fire Visalia Times Delta
Low Sierra Snow Pack Could Mean Early Start to Fire Season
Sierra News
NASA satellite images taken this past week from more than 400 miles above Earth show snow pack levels in the Sierras at just 54 percent of their historical average for this time of the year.
Bill would require California insurers to incentivize fire prevention
San Francisco Chronicle
A group of state lawmakers, regulators and consumer advocates hope the insurance industry can encourage homeowners and communities to harden their homes and neighborhoods against wildfires.
PG&E union resists Bernie Sanders’ calls for public takeover
San Francisco Chronicle
“Sen. Sanders, you’re just plain wrong on this”: PG&E’s largest union is fighting back against calls for a public takeover of the company.
See also:
Bernie Sanders’ $100 billion take-over of PG&E will make California’s electricity problem worse CALmatters
ECONOMY/JOBS
Economy:
CALmatters
A statewide media collaboration to raise awareness and engagement about poverty and income inequality.
See also:
Almost every Californian would get $1,000 a month under universal basic income proposal
Fresno Bee
It’s been tried in Stockton. Former Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang pitched a national version of it. Now California lawmakers are considering whether to adopt a Universal Basic Income.
This chart is the best explanation of middle-class finances you will ever see
Washington Post
Economists and financial experts have been telling us for years how great things are for U.S. workers and consumers. The stuff we buy is dirt cheap, and living standards are higher than ever. Wages are keeping pace with inflation. Inequality probably isn’t as bad as you’ve been led to believe. The stock market is booming!
Markets tank on concern about virus impact on world economy
abc30
U.S. stocks fell sharply in early trading Monday, following a broad sell-off in overseas markets, as a surge in virus cases and a worrisome spread of the disease outside the epicenter in China sent investors running for safety.
See also:
Stocks Fall Sharply On Coronavirus Fears Capital Public Radio
U.S. stocks open more than 3% lower as coronavirus fears grow Los Angeles Times
Dow plunges nearly 1,000 points as coronavirus cases surge in South Korea and Italy CNN
Global markets fall sharply as virus cases spread past Asia Associated Press
China's coronavirus is causing an economic cardiac arrest AEI
Why does the US have so few confirmed coronavirus cases? AEI
Gold at a 7-yr high and bond yields flirt with record lows as fear grips Wall Street
CNN
Fear has returned to Wall Street. The spread of coronavirus cases in Italy and South Korea is shaking investors out of their recent complacency. Investors are nervous that the global economy will slow dramatically in the first quarter because of coronavirus. And they are piling into classic safe haven fear trades as a result and shunning anything that seems risky.
Commentary: Unintended consequences: Trump and Warren’s bipartisan plan for the US dollar
Brookings
Republicans and Democrats didn’t agree on much in 2019, with one exception: that a high U.S. dollar is bad for America. President Trump repeatedly called on the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates to devalue the dollar, while presidential hopeful Senator Elizabeth Warren
Michael Bloomberg’s Troubling Record on Unions and Workers
The American Prospect
Expired contracts, no paid sick leave policy, and an un-unionized presidential campaign staff.
Continued surge in strike activity signals worker dissatisfaction with wage growth
Economic Policy Institute
Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) show that there was an upsurge in major strike activity in 2018 and 2019, marking a 35-year high for the number of workers involved in a major work stoppage over a two-year period. Further, 2019 recorded the greatest number of work stoppages involving 20,000 or more workers since at least 1993, when the BLS started providing data that made it possible to track work stoppages by size.
See also:
State of Working America Wages 2019 Economic Policy Institute
Commentary: One Last Chance to Fix Capitalism
Harvard Business Review
Roughly two-thirds of the way through Reimagining Capitalism in a World on Fire, Rebecca Henderson’s prescription for reversing some of the damage business has done in the past half-century, the Harvard Business School professor rates the chances that environmentally iffy industries might effectively self-regulate. “This is a story of hope followed by despair,” she says, “followed by the glimmerings of renewed hope.”
Jobs:
California’s new labor law is a work in progress. Here’s how lawmakers could change it
Fresno Bee
The California Legislature is considering nearly three dozen bills to clean up or repeal the landmark gig economy law signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom just months ago.
See also:
Musicians say AB5 strikes sour note with gig-driven profession San Francisco Chronicle
PG&E union resists Bernie Sanders’ calls for public takeover
San Francisco Chronicle
Pacific Gas and Electric Co.’s main union is pushing back forcefully against efforts to make the company, which is currently owned by investors, controlled by the public instead — something Sen. Bernie Sanders, state Sen. Scott Wiener and the city of San Francisco have proposed in various forms.
Kickstarter Becomes First Major Tech Company to Unionize
Next City
Employees at crowdfunding platform Kickstarter voted Tuesday 46-37 to form a union, the first major tech company to do so, the New York Times reports.
As the Start-Up Boom Deflates, Tech Is Humbled
New York Times
Layoffs. Shutdowns. Uncertainty. After a decade of prosperity, many hot young companies are facing a reckoning.
EDUCATION
K-12:
Armona Elementary to host grand opening for new building
Hanford Sentinel
After a year of construction, Armona Union Elementary School District is ready to unveil its new multi-use facility at Armona Elementary School.
Teachers notice rise in homelessness among kids
CALmatters
Homelessness among students is the highest it has ever been, according to a national report released last month. But advocates say that one major reason for the increase is that teachers and other school officials are more aware and better prepared to identify homeless kids.
Gov. Newsom’s big bets: community schools, competitive grants and new teacher incentives
EdSource
Governor reveals plan to address teacher shortage, fix high-poverty schools.
The hidden housing measure on your March ballot
CALmatters
Tucked into a $15 billion school bond measure is a break to encourage developers building apartments around transit. Some fear it could hurt certain school districts.
Higher Ed:
University celebrates the Resnick Student Union groundbreaking
Fresno State Campus News
Fresno State students, leaders and community members celebrated the construction of the new Lynda and Stewart Resnick Student Union with a ceremonial groundbreaking on Feb. 20.
Former students able to complete degree online
Fresno State Campus News
A new program allows those who were unable to complete their education an opportunity to earn a bachelor's degree online.
Work will start soon to repair MJC aquatic center damaged in 2018 explosion
Modesto Bee
The work to repair the Modesto Junior College aquatic center is expected to start in early March, about 21 months after an explosion in the pool supply room closed the center and its two swimming pools.
Top Colleges in the West for Student Outcomes
WSJ
Stanford heads this list from the WSJ/THE College Rankings, followed by Caltech, UCLA and Berkeley.
ENVIRONMENT/ENERGY
Environment:
Ambitious Air Improvement Program Brought Community to The Table - Here's How It's Working So Far
VPR
The San Joaquin Valley lies underneath one of the two most polluted air basins in the country. That’s why, in 2018, two communities here – one in Shafter and one in south-central Fresno – were selected among the first to participate in Assembly Bill 617, an ambitious state law that enables local involvement in air protection.
See also:
California Fish and Game ends striped bass population mandate, allowing decline
Sacramento Bee
The California Fish and Game Commission on Friday voted unanimously to amend its decades-old policy regarding striped bass, beginning a process that could allow the population to decline.
Fridges hurt the environment. Here’s how California wants to regulate them.
San Francisco Chronicle
Refrigerators — especially big ones used by supermarkets — emit potent greenhouse gases, as do air conditioning units and dehumidifiers. California is cracking down.
US pushes changes to Western land plans that judge blocked
Hanford Sentinel
U.S. Interior Department officials are seeking to bolster their case for easing restrictions on energy development, mining and grazing in Western states inhabited by a declining bird species.
EDITORIAL: No, a trillion more trees and baby-step oil company reforms won’t fix global warming
Los Angeles Times
Of course, baby steps by a handful of oil and gas companies aren’t going to do much to combat overall emissions. Similarly, the Trillion Trees Initiative, which President Trump touted in his State of the Union address, won’t do an awful lot, either.
HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES
Health:
White House readying coronavirus response request
Fresno Bee
The White House is readying an urgent budget request to address the deadly coronavirus outbreak whose rapid spread is spooking financial markets and restricting international travel.
See also:
Why the Trump Administration’s Coronavirus Response Continues to Raise Concerns The New Yorker
Dow poised to plummet amid coronavirus concerns; White House prepares to ask Congress for around $1 billion for health response Washington Post
U.S. Stocks Plunge as Coronavirus Crisis Spreads New York Times
Judge halts plan to move virus patients to California city
Bakersfield Californian
A court temporarily blocked the U.S. government from sending up to 50 people infected with a new virus from China to a Southern California city for quarantine after local officials argued that the plan lacked details about how the community would be protected from the outbreak.
See also:
Costa Mesa’s objection to coronavirus quarantine based on fear-mongering, officials say Los Angeles Times
Marijuana use is rising sharply among seniors over 65, study says, and there are serious risks
CNN
The numbers of American seniors over age 65 who now smoke marijuana or use edibles increased two-fold between 2015 and 2018, according to research published Monday in JAMA.
Vape crisis forced cannabis sector to increase focus on technology, testing and transparency
Marijuana Business
Though it happened in the second half of the year, the vaping crisis commanded the marijuana industry’s attention in 2019.
Human Services:
Kaweah Delta Medical Center partners with USC
Visalia Times Delta
Kaweah Delta’s medical education programs are partnering with the University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine.
Local nonprofits help young adults transition to independent living after foster system
Bakersfield Californian
What happens to foster youth once they reach the age of 18 and are too old for the system? How many people actually stop and think about those young adults?
Medi-Cal Expansion for Undocumented Seniors
PPIC
A proposed expansion of Medi-Cal would boost access to health services, including preventive care and disease management, for eligible undocumented seniors.
How Healthcare Costs Hurt American Workers and Benefit the Wealthy
TIME
Americans spend vast sums on health care. Certainly, health care is expensive all over the world, and it makes good sense for rich countries to spend large amounts to extend their citizens’ lives and to reduce pain and suffering. But America does this about as badly as it is possible to imagine.
Millions of Americans Donate through Crowdfunding Sites to Help Others Pay for Medical Bills
NORC
Approximately 50 million—or 20 percent—of American adults reported donating to a crowdfunding campaign to help raise money for a medical bill or treatment.
As Suicide Rates Climb, Crisis Centers Expand
PEW
Arizona police are guaranteed a drop-off time of no more than 10 minutes
Opinion: Just say no to California’s drug-making plan
San Francisco Chronicle
If Gov. Newsom’s new drugmaker is going to undercut existing generic prices, it will have to sell its wares at loss-inducing prices.
IMMIGRATION
‘Families will be broken’: Fear grows as Trump administration moves to deport Laotian refugees
Fresno Bee
In 2018, the Trump administration sanctioned Laos to pressure the Southeast Asian country to take back its deportees. Talks between both governments have now intensified, leaving many in Fresno’s large Hmong community in fear.
Greyhound to stop allowing Border Patrol agents on buses without warrants
New York Times
Greyhound Lines will no longer allow Border Patrol agents to conduct immigration checks on its buses without warrants, the company announced on Friday — one week after a leaked government memo revealed that agents could not board buses without consent.
LAND USE/HOUSING
Land Use:
Huerta’s $20 million downtown cultural center looks ‘promising’
Bakersfield Californian
The Dolores Huerta Foundation is undertaking a $20 million fundraising effort to build a community cultural center near 21st and H streets downtown on property owned by the Self-Help Credit Union.
See also:
Fearless: Dolores Huerta, nearing 90, is still in the fight for civil rights that made her an icon Bakersfield Californian
New California coastal state park planned for 2022 opening
Sacramento Bee
The first new state park campground on the California coast in 30 years is expected to feature ocean frontage on Monterey Bay when it opens in 2022.
Housing:
See which Fresno area sites have been identified for potential new homeless programs
Fresno Bee
Gov. Gavin Newsom announced 286 state-owned properties this week that will be made available to local governments who could use them as solutions to the state homeless crisis, and five of them are in the Fresno area.
See also:
Here’s where California is offering land for homeless housing San Francisco Chronicle
Fresno Caltrans sites could be used to help homeless Fresno Bee
Investors who let California homes sit empty could face fines under proposed law
Sacramento Bee
Corporations that own California properties could soon be fined for keeping homes vacant for more than three months under a proposed law to give tenants, nonprofits and cities more say over what happens to empty buildings.
The hidden housing measure on your March ballot
CALmatters
Tucked into a $15 billion school bond measure is a break to encourage developers building apartments around transit. Some fear it could hurt certain school districts.
Opinion: Standing up to powerful developers and their allies isn’t deplorable, it’s laudable
Sacramento Bee
Many of California’s elites are making it very clear they think you are deplorable if you don’t agree that developers should be given free-reign to bulldoze single-family neighborhoods in California to build luxury condominiums.
Trump’s new tough-love homelessness czar might surprise skeptics
San Francisco Chronicle
Robert Marbut sees common ground with California by emphasizing recovery, services and personal responsibility over “housing first.”
PUBLIC FINANCES
Commentary: Does the US really need a corporate minimum tax?
AEI
If the administration is concerned about how the tax code treats certain transactions, it should address them directly rather than layer a new tax on top of an existing one.
Opinion: Trump's trillion-dollar-plus deficits put America on path to fiscal ruin
USA Today
Though no one in Washington will admit it, our nation's finances are in deep trouble. Spending is up, revenue is down, and this will only get worse.
TRANSPORTATION
New legislation calls for $32 billion funding to help complete High-Speed Rail
abc30
Congressman Jim Costa announced legislation on Friday calling for additional federal funding to help complete California's High-Speed Rail, along with projects in other parts of the country.
See also:
CA Congressman Introduces Federal Bill to Fund High-Speed Rail CA Streetblog
(video) Costa has a new plan for high-speed rail through Fresno. Here’s how much it’ll cost Fresno Bee
(video) High-Speed Rail Funding KSEE 24 NBC Fresno
Funding legislation unveiled for completion of California high-speed rail Global Railway Review
(video) Rep. Jim Costa proposes $32B boost for California’s high-speed rail KGPE
(video) Rep. Costa Announces New Funding Bill KMPH Fox 26 Fresno
Could free transit for kids help California beat climate change?
CALmatters
The Legislature is considering giving everyone age 18 and under free rides on public transportation. But will that really create a generation of lifetime riders?
WATER
Self-Help Enterprises has Emergency Services to get water to families
abc30
If a natural disaster strikes, families can be left high and dry. One organization has a new program that offers relief to local families. Self-Help Enterprises has a new Emergency Services program designed to get safe drinking water to families in need.
A record high temperature, and still no rain in sight for Modesto
Modesto Bee
Some Modesto residents looked out their windows Saturday morning to an encouraging sight: raindrops darkening pavement or making ripples in their swimming pools. Unfortunately, any hopes for a rainy day (no precipitation was in the forecast, by the way) dried up within minutes.
FEMA reverses itself on Oroville Dam funds, but still denies millions to California
Sacramento Bee
The federal government, in an unusual reversal, has agreed to reimburse California officials for millions of dollars in additional costs from the 2017 Oroville Dam crisis — but is continuing to deny millions more.
Despite California drought fears, resorts aren’t too worried about the ski season
Sacramento Bee
Mary Jo Gorton readied her snowboard gear Tuesday in the Sugar Bowl parking lot surrounded by more white snow than brown dirt.
Los Angeles Times
Gov. Gavin Newsom may be piloting a lifeboat that will rescue the sinking California Delta. Or he may be in water over his head on a doomed mission. The governor gets angry with skeptics who say he’s being delusional. But history sides with the doubters.
See also:
Fact check: Trump says California is ‘insane’ to ration water Sacramento Bee
EDITORIAL: Don’t be fooled, Modesto farmers — Trump’s California water plan doesn’t help you Modesto Bee
EDITORIAL: Trump wading into California’s water policy with phony answer San Francisco Chronicle
“Xtra”
Armenian-American Musical Heritage event on Saturday
Fresno State Campus News
The Armenian Studies Program will hold a special event, “Armenian-American Musical Heritage of the San Joaquin Valley,” from 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 29, at the University Business Center.
Merced’s plans to expand arts scene may include new downtown district
Merced Sun-Star
Merced’s arts and culture scene could be on the precipice of a renaissance — one that may have official backing from the city.
CSUB hosts second annual Techstars Startup Weekend
KBAK
The three-day event is designed to give people the chance to come up with their own business concepts and build a prototype, before presenting the final results to a panel of judges.
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