POLICY & POLITICS
North SJ Valley:
California’s jails are in a deadly crisis. How can Gavin Newsom start fixing them?
Merced Sun-Star
Nearly a decade after California overhauled its prison and jail system, policymakers are considering reforms to the state’s landmark criminal justice transformation, calling for more oversight of county sheriffs and higher standards for inmate care.
CEO at Foster Farms in Livingston talks about its future. New wing flavors are in it
Modesto Bee
Dan Huber looks to the future as CEO at Foster Farms. He aims for sustainable practices in the decades ahead at the Livingston-based poultry company.
$52 million project at Stanislaus State is nearly complete
Modesto Bee
Construction is nearly complete on the $52 million student union project at California State University, Stanislaus. A ribbon-cutting ceremony for the student center, which also includes the university’s bookstore, has been set for Jan. 27. That’s the first day of spring semester classes at the Turlock campus.
Central SJ Valley:
Prior to GV Wire Mayor Forum, Dyer and Janz Talk on the Radio
GV Wire
Fresno City Councilman Garry Bredefeld filled in on the radio for Trevor Carey’s Power Talk 96.7 show Thursday. And, Bredefeld brought an interesting array of guests.
South SJ Valley:
Salas responds to alarming State Auditor report with bill to tighten state's oversight of fairs
Bakersfield Californian
On Monday, Assemblyman Rudy Salas, D-Bakersfield, introduced legislation aimed at putting in place new accountability and transparent measures to prevent the kinds of problems noted in a State Auditor report last year targeting an unnamed fair that The Californian has pinpointed as being the Kern County Fair.
Bakersfield Californian
After taking a break for the holiday season, both the city of Bakersfield and Kern County supervisors are resuming their normal activities.
Price spike after Mideast drone attack not expected to boost local oil activity or gas prices
Bakersfield Californian
Barring further escalation in Middle East tensions, the modest surge in oil prices that followed Friday's U.S. drone strike against Iranian military officials in Iraq isn't expected to have much impact on Kern County's economy, property tax revenues or local gasoline prices.
State:
Gavin Newsom took office one year ago today. Here’s how he’s doing on 10 campaign promises
Fresno Bee
In Gavin Newsom’s first year in office, the Democratic governor has made progress on many of his campaign promises, such as expanding state health care programs and capping rent increases. But he’s still far from achieving many of his long-term goals, including building 3.5 million new homes and creating half a million apprenticeships to boost California’s workforce.
See also:
How Newsom’s campaign promises have fared one year into term San Francisco Chronicle
EDITORIAL: Gov. Newsom’s avoided big mistakes in his first year. Next year will require him to make even tougher choices. San Francisco Chronicle
Gavin Newsom hasn’t appointed a homelessness czar. The Legislature might force his hand
Fresno Bee
If Gov. Gavin Newsom doesn’t appoint a homelessness secretary, the Legislature might force his hand. Assemblywoman Luz Rivas on Monday introduced a bill to create an Office to End Homelessness run by a cabinet secretary for housing insecurity and homelessness who would report to the governor.
California eyes climate bond to prepare for disasters
abc30
In a state burdened by billions of dollars in wildfire damage, California lawmakers are hoping for an advance loan before the next climate-fueled catastrophe hits. Lawmakers in the Democratic-dominated state Legislature return to work Monday for the second year of a two-year session.
See also:
California Democrats announce Green New Deal as Legislature returns amid homeless, climate crisis Stockton Record
Capital Public Radio
California needs even more ambitious climate change goals. That's the message 14 progressive Democratic lawmakers unveiled Monday as part of the California Green New Deal Act, which they call bold and big.
See also:
Newsom’s free legal counsel + SB 50’s local control makeover + An even greener California?
Sacramento Bee
High-powered law firms have provided hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of free legal work for Gov. Gavin Newsom since he took office, giving counsel on California’s death penalty moratorium and the state’s legal battle over prison health care, public records show.
Capital Public Radio
Every year hundreds of new California laws take effect Jan. 1. Many of them won't have much effect on your daily life. Here's a closer look at some that might in 2020. We'll be posting more stories throughout December, so check back to learn more about the impacts of each law.
CalMatters
As the state Legislature reconvenes for the second half of the biennial session, we will see a flurry of activity as Gov. Gavin Newsom delivers his second State of the State address and proposes a 2020-21 budget, based on an assumption that the state’s record-long economic expansion will continue for at least another year.
Federal:
Amid conflicting signals, Trump sends more Marines to the Middle East
Los Angeles Times
The Pentagon moved Monday to send an additional 2,500 U.S. Marines to the Middle East, the latest fallout from President Trump’s order to kill a powerful Iranian general last week, but one that could increase the risk of the kind of grinding conflict that the president has vowed to avoid.
See also:
Federal Judge Temporarily Exempts Truck Drivers From California Gig Worker Law
Reuters
A federal judge has temporarily blocked a California labor law meant to take effect from Jan. 1 from impacting over 70,000 independent truckers by granting a 'temporary restraining order.'
See also:
Initiative to Overturn California Independent Contractor Law for App-Based Drivers, Deliverers Advances Littler Mendelson P.C.
Census estimates: Redistricting ahead for California, New York and Texas
Roll Call
The Census Bureau gave a peek at a coming battle within states nationwide over the shape of the country’s congressional district map, with its latest population estimates hinting at fights within Texas, New York, California, Alabama and other states.
Elections 2020:
‘They are so nervous:’ Congressional Democrats stay out of unsettled 2020 primary
Fresno Bee
Three swing-state House members backed Joe Biden’s presidential campaign over the weekend, lifting his number of congressional endorsements to 31, more than double the amount of any 2020 rival. But with just four weeks to go until the Iowa caucuses, most of their Democratic colleagues are choosing to stay on the sidelines.
Bloomberg sees California as model on climate change, guns
Bakersfield Californian
Mike Bloomberg's plan for California - export it. The Democratic presidential candidate and former New York City mayor likes a lot of what he sees in the Golden State and thinks its efforts on climate change, gun control and criminal justice reform seta benchmark for other states to emulate.
See also:
2020 candidate Michael Bloomberg says he doesn’t regret backing Iraq war Los Angeles Times
Castro backs Warren after quitting presidential race. What about other ex-candidates?
Sacramento Bee
Former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julián Castro said Monday he is backing Sen. Elizabeth Warren for president, just days after dropping out of the race. Castro said in a Twitter post that they both share a vision of an America “where people — not the wealthy or well-connected — are put first.”
See also:
Julián Castro endorses Elizabeth Warren in presidential race Los Angeles Times
Capital Public Radio
California election officials are hoping to clear up confusion among some voters registered as No Party Preference about which party they can support in the state’s March 3 presidential primary. Unlike other elections, a voter’s party makes a big difference in the presidential primary.
How 2020 candidates are grappling with online disinformation
PBS NewsHour
As the 2020 presidential campaign heats up, candidates are facing an unprecedented challenge: the growing scale and variety of disinformation online. John Yang reports on the difficulty of verifying that content is authentic and not manipulated -- especially when it has been shared by a public figure.
Pew Research Center
Election 2020 Edition.
See also:
● An early look at the 2020 electorate Pew Research Center
Who’s In and Who’s Out of the 2020 Presidential Race
WSJ
Democrats have one of the most crowded primaries in modern history, with a record number of women running in the diverse field. Here is a closer look at who's running – and who has already left the race.
See also:
● 5 Things To Know: 2020 Presidential Candidates Sacramento Bee
OPINION: Californians love to reject billionaire political candidates. Will 2020 be different?
Modesto Bee
A poor man once said it is easier for a camel to fit through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter heaven. The Pearly Gates may be closed to billionaires, but Donald Trump proved in 2016 that the Oval Office is wide open.
Opinion: What nonpartisans need to know about California's presidential primary
Los Angeles Times
California is at risk of disenfranchising hundreds of thousands of voters in the March 2020 presidential primary election. The problem is so large it could impact who becomes the Democratic nominee.
Other:
Racial reconciliation and the deeper meaning of ‘Dumbo’
Fresno Bee
For many whites, like me, who grew up privileged and isolated from the black community, there is a healthy eye-opening that comes from a frank understanding of the past — not to mention just how harmful those consequences still are on fellow human beings.
Facebook bans ‘deepfake’ videos before election, but policy doesn’t cover parody or satire
Los Angeles Times
Facebook Inc. has shed more light on its efforts to eradicate doctored videos known as “deepfakes,” addressing an issue it’s identified as an emergent threat ahead of the U.S. election. The operator of the world’s largest social network pledged to remove content that has been “edited or synthesized” beyond adjustments for quality or clarity and is deemed likely to mislead viewers.
Reporter’s Notebook: Tolerance Or Tantrums? It’s Not Just Politicians Who Need To Choose
Capital Public Radio
Even though business and oil industry groups preferred cap-and-trade’s market-based approach over top-down state regulations, influential conservatives like Jon Fleischman forced Mayes to resign his leadership post.
MADDY INSTITUTE PUBLIC POLICY PROGRAMMING
Sunday, January 12, at 10 a.m. on ABC30 – Maddy Report: California’s Housing Crisis Hits Home - Guest: Matt Levine from CALmatters and Dan Dunmoyer with California Building Industry Association. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.
Sunday, January 12, at 10 a.m. on Newstalk 580AM/105.9FM (KMJ) – Maddy Report - Valley Views Edition: California’s Housing Crisis: Are Granny Flats the Answer? - Guests: Monica Davalos, Aureo Mesquita and Adriana Ramos-Yamamoto from the California Budget and Policy Center, Matt Levin with CALmatters, Dan Dunmoyer with California Building Industry Association, John Myer with LA Times and Dan Walters with CALmatters. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.
Sunday, January 12, at 7:30 a.m. on UniMas 61 (KTTF) – El Informe Maddy: State Auditor Report on Charter Schools - Guest: Margarita Fernandez, PIO State Auditor's Office. Host: Maddy Institute Program Coordinator, Maria Jeans.
AGRICULTURE/FOOD
SoCal citrus disease quarantine expands. Central Valley spared — for now
Visalia Times Delta
A southern California quarantine zone has been expanded in an effort to stop the spread of a disease that threatens the state’s multibillion-dollar citrus industry. The addition of 107 square miles encompassing the cities of Corona and Norco and part of Chino followed the discovery of a dozen trees with citrus greening disease in Corona, The Press-Enterprise reported late last week.
CEO at Foster Farms in Livingston talks about its future. New wing flavors are in it
Modesto Bee
Dan Huber looks to the future as CEO at Foster Farms. He aims for sustainable practices in the decades ahead at the Livingston-based poultry company.
Farm Subsidies Favor South, Irking Other Regions
Pew Trusts
A 2019 federal payment program intended to help farmers facing low prices caused by President Donald Trump's trade war with China has paid the South higher rates than the Midwest.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE/FIRE/PUBLIC SAFETY
Crime:
California’s jails are in a deadly crisis. How can Gavin Newsom start fixing them?
Merced Sun-Star
Nearly a decade after California overhauled its prison and jail system, policymakers are considering reforms to the state’s landmark criminal justice transformation, calling for more oversight of county sheriffs and higher standards for inmate care.
This Meth Ring Stretched From Modesto to Alaska
GV Wire
A Modesto man was sentenced Monday to 26 years and eight months in prison for his role in a methamphetamine distribution ring reaching to Juneau, Alaska.
Can You Talk Your Way Out of a Life Sentence?
New York Times
California is giving a second chance to thousands of inmates who had no hope of parole. But first they have to prove to a panel of strangers that they’ve truly changed.
Public Safety:
Two more inmates die by suicide in California’s state prison system
San Francisco Chronicle
Two California prisoners who died late last month became the 37th and 38th prisoners to die by suicide in the state’s prisons in 2019. Their deaths pushed the suicide rate among prisoners to 30.3 deaths per 100,000 incarcerated people — a 30-year high in the state.
Fire:
A California city is hiring hungry goats again to help prevent wildfires
Merced Sun-Star
Anaheim, California, has re-upped its contract with Environmental Land Management in order to use goats year-round for wildfire prevention, NPR reported. There have been goats grazing in places including Deer Canyon Park to eat the flammable dried brush and grasses.
Human-caused ignitions spark California’s worst wildfires but get little state focus
Los Angeles Times
The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection did not respond to repeated interview requests for this story. But the widespread shut-offs underscore the huge — and often overlooked — role that human-related ignitions play in California wildfire.
ECONOMY/JOBS
Economy:
Boomers, millennials face shared economic challenges
Sacramento Bee
Young and old people are struggling to take care of themselves and increasingly each other at a time when blame and resentment flows both ways.
See also:
California Budget and Policy Center
Later this week, Governor Newsom will release a proposed 2020-21 budget for the state. As policymakers consider the opportunities before them to continue building the state’s fiscal health and invest in the people of California, it's critical to remember many Californians are struggling to live in our communities despite the state's vast wealth.
Price spike after Mideast drone attack not expected to boost local oil activity or gas prices
Bakersfield Californian
Barring further escalation in Middle East tensions, the modest surge in oil prices that followed Friday's U.S. drone strike against Iranian military officials in Iraq isn't expected to have much impact on Kern County's economy, property tax revenues or local gasoline prices.
Globally, women are younger than their male partners, more likely to age alone
Pew Research Center
On average, women are younger than their husbands or male cohabiting partners in each of the 130 countries and territories analyzed in a recent study. Women are also more likely than men to age alone and to live in single-parent households.
Blue-collar workers have good reasons not to move to booming cities
AEI
A lot of commentators seem to think that those living and working in Middle America’s formerly industrial areas are stubborn for staying put. But if your average working-class guy moves to a big city, he will likely become poorer for it.
Listen: The top economic issues in 2020
Brookings
In the first episode of the Brookings Cafeteria podcast of the new year, Stephanie Aaronson and Louise Sheiner discuss the biggest economic issues in the coming year and beyond, including the state of the U.S. economy and the federal debt.
Jobs:
California truck drivers score millions from Wal-Mart after US Court of Appeals verdict
Fresno Bee
A Fresno law firm has scored a major victory with a U.S. Court of Appeals decision upholding a multi-million-dollar verdict for about 700 Wal-Mart truck drivers. Lawyer Nicolas “Butch” Wagner of Fresno successfully represented the California truck drivers who filed a class-action lawsuit against the mega-retailer nearly a decade ago for short-changing their pay. About 100 of the truck drivers are from the Fresno area.
What happens to your CalPERS pension after a divorce? It’s complicated.
Sacramento Bee
Ralph Johnson got married a year and a half before he retired from the Alameda County Fire Department.
Gag clauses for California state workers, public employees might violate First Amendment rights
Sacramento Bee
Employees at a California tax agency started to suspect something was up when a compliance officer emailed everyone a reminder not talk with the media one morning in March. Later that day, CBS Sacramento aired a story on new “RIOT” buttons that had been installed in elevators in the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration building, alarming some employees.
Left waiting: Workers’ comp creates lengthy delays for Californians injured on the job
CALmatters
Although the number of Californians needing evaluations for reported on-the-job-injuries has soared, the state's stable of approved medical evaluators to review those cases has been dropping.
CALmatters
“AB 5 is the law.” That’s the “speak softly and carry a big stick” notice to California businesses on California’s new worker-classification law from Julie Su, secretary of the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency, who has the authority to crack down on workplace violations and investigate complaints.
See also:
Federal judge holds freelancers to new California labor law
Los Angeles Times
A federal judge will not temporarily exempt freelance journalists and photographers from a broad new California labor law, saying they waited too long to challenge restrictions that they fear could put some of them out of business.
More people may soon have annuities in their 401(k) plans
CNBC
The Secure Act, which President Donald Trump signed into law last month, eases rules for employers offering a 401(k) plan around how they choose an annuity provider.
Los Angeles Times
We were never fans of SB 826, the law that went into effect last week requiring publicly traded companies based in California to add women to their corporate boards or face heavy fines. Diversity on corporate boards and in C-suites is extremely important, but the idea of a government-set quota was troubling from the start — and legally questionable as well.
EDUCATION
K-12:
SOUL offers alternative education for at-risk students
abc30
Fresno EOC's School of Unlimited Learning or SOUL is an option for students looking for an alternative to the traditional public high school. The program offers an opportunity for those that may be struggling in the traditional high school setting.
More US schools teach in English and Spanish, but not enough to help Latino kids
Visalia Times Delta
Preschool teacher Rosa Ramirez has a special way of asking her students to line up for playtime outside. “Pueden pararse si llevan puesto algo de color amarillo, como una abeja,” she tells them. In English, Ramirez would say, “You can stand up if you are wearing yellow – like a bee.” But this is the half of the school day in which she teaches exclusively in Spanish.
Special Report: Nearly Half of Fresno Unified Students Below Grade Level
GV Wire
Fresno Unified School District has released an eye-opening report that paints in stark numbers how poorly students are performing academically and the huge challenges they face in being ready for college and career.
Higher Ed:
$52 million project at Stanislaus State is nearly complete
Modesto Bee
Construction is nearly complete on the $52 million student union project at California State University, Stanislaus. A ribbon-cutting ceremony for the student center, which also includes the university’s bookstore, has been set for Jan. 27. That’s the first day of spring semester classes at the Turlock campus.
Continuing Efforts to Connect Education to the Workforce
EdNote
Historically, state policymakers have sought ways to connect people to quality education that leads to sustaining and fulfilling jobs.
Reimagining the public university
AEI
The financial model of state universities built in the postwar years is no longer sustainable under present circumstances. Academic leaders have tried to circumvent this reality by raising tuition, recruiting out-of-state students, and employing other short-term fixes that fail to address the fundamental problems at hand.
Opinion: Fighting Back against the Tide of Social-Justice Education
National Review
The Left has so captured our education system that it’s now very risky for students or faculty members to dissent from any of its beliefs. Prospective grad students, for example, are now evaluated on how deeply committed they are to “social justice.” To say, “I don’t think that the concept of social justice has any true meaning and the policies that supposedly promote it are harmful,” is to terminate your career.
ENVIRONMENT/ENERGY
Environment:
Tribal groups condemn federal plan to open up millions of Alaskan acres to mining interests
Merced Sun-Star
More than two dozen Alaska tribes are protesting a Trump administration land-use proposal that, if approved, could open millions of acres of wilderness to future mining in a large chunk of rural Alaska. For the first time in decades, the Bureau of Land Management is taking steps to update resource management plans for 13.5 million acres it manages in the state's western and interior regions.
EPA sees California progress on clean air backlog after threats to highway funding
Sacramento Bee
California is cooperating with the federal government to clear a backlog of reports on its implementation of the Clean Air Act.
See also:
Trump’s EPA cites ‘great progress’ in air-quality fight with California San Francisco Chronicle
Capital Public Radio
California needs even more ambitious climate change goals. That's the message 14 progressive Democratic lawmakers unveiled Monday as part of the California Green New Deal Act, which they call bold and big.
See also:
California’s latest pollution push: Banning gas-powered mowers and blowers
San Francisco Chronicle
The next frontier in California’s battle against pollution: lawn equipment.
EPA says it will cut pollution from heavy duty diesel trucks
Washington Post
The Environmental Protection Agency on Monday said it would soon propose tougher restrictions on pollution from heavy-duty trucks, an uncharacteristic move to tighten existing standards from an administration that has prided itself on a series of regulatory rollbacks.
Energy:
Potential of Electric Vehicles Tied to Solar Research
UC Merced Newsroom
Not spending money on gas, oil changes, and tune-ups and not producing harmful greenhouse gas emissions is enough to sell many people on plug-in electric cars. But many consumers won’t bite until they’re assured that electric cars can go the distance before needing a charge.
Price spike after Mideast drone attack not expected to boost local oil activity or gas prices
Bakersfield Californian
Barring further escalation in Middle East tensions, the modest surge in oil prices that followed Friday's U.S. drone strike against Iranian military officials in Iraq isn't expected to have much impact on Kern County's economy, property tax revenues or local gasoline prices.
CALmatters
Among the bills to be decided between now and the primary: an oil-production tax.
N.A.A.C.P. Tells Local Chapters: Don’t Let Energy Industry Manipulate You
New York Times
The civil rights group is trying to stop state and local branches from accepting money from utilities that promote fossil fuels and then lobbying on their behalf.
California Energy Price Data for December 2019
California Center for Jobs and the Economy
Below are the monthly updates from the most current December 2019 fuel price data (GasBuddy.com) and October 2019 electricity and natural gas price data (US Energy Information Agency).
HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES
Health:
Your teen daughter likely doesn’t need a pelvic exam, research suggests. Here’s why
Fresno Bee
Hundreds of thousands of teenage girls are being subjected to unnecessary pelvic and cervical exams because doctors aren’t aware of guidelines on when to perform the exams, according to research released Monday by the University of California, San Francisco.
Visalia vape shops support FDA vaping products ban. Will it be enough for city council?
Visalia Times Delta
The Food and Drug Administration said last week that it will ban fruit- and mint-flavored products used in e-cigarettes and vaping products while allowing vape shops to sell flavors from tank-based systems.
See also:
California vaping bill would ban all flavored tobacco sales in stores Los Angeles Times
Human Services:
Capital Public Radio
This summer, California became the first state to approve a Medicaid expansion to undocumented young adults up to age 26. This group can now access health benefits through Medi-Cal, the state’s Medicaid program, as of Jan. 1.
Here’s an easy way to increase access to high-quality, affordable health care
Washington Post
Americans have witnessed fierce debates on health-care policy focused on various proposals, including Medicare-for-all. Whatever your take on such proposals, it’s important to remember that there are other ways to expand access to affordable health care.
U.S. Population Growing Very Slowly
Pew Trusts
Ten states lost residents in 2019. But despite the country's population gains slowing to a crawl, some states are attracting more residents, with Idaho and Nevada growing fastest.
See also:
IMMIGRATION
US to start collecting DNA from people detained at border for criminal database
abc30
The U.S. government on Monday launched a pilot program to collect DNA from people in immigration custody and submit it to the FBI, with plans to expand nationwide. The information would go into a massive criminal database run by the FBI, where it would be held indefinitely.
Capital Public Radio
This summer, California became the first state to approve a Medicaid expansion to undocumented young adults up to age 26. This group can now access health benefits through Medi-Cal, the state’s Medicaid program, as of Jan. 1.
LAND USE/HOUSING
Land Use:
Fresno Starbucks building sold for $2.82M
Business Journal
It might be hard to believe, but there are still corners in Fresno yet to be blessed by a Starbucks.
See also:
Fresno Apartment Complexes Sold For $13.8mBusiness Journal
Housing:
Fresno builders’ winter homeless shelter already reporting progress. What that means
Fresno Bee
Since RH Community Builders opened its winter warming shelter doors last month to serve Fresno’s homeless population, at least eight people already have found new permanent housing, the group announced Monday.
California housing bill gets major makeover — and it gives local governments more control
Fresno Bee
Last year, California local governments effectively blocked the broadest proposal out of the Legislature that attempted to boost home construction across the state. This year, lawmakers behind that bill are trying to win over cities and counties by promising them a lot more control over their zoning laws.
See also:
Last year’s hottest housing fight just got resurrected — here’s what to know CalMatters
Scott Wiener tries to save SB50 housing bill with local control changes san Francisco Chronicle
California will consider 'right to housing' legislation this year Politico
California lawmaker again taking aim at single-family zoning
Los Angeles Times
California lawmakers will once again debate a contentious measure that could radically increase housing growth in the state after a legislator revamped his proposal to allow construction of mid-rise apartment complexes near transit and fourplexes in single-family neighborhoods.
It took three years of blown deadlines, but L.A.'s first homeless housing project is done
Los Angeles Times
For months, the wooden frame rising at 88th and Vermont stood as a constant reminder of the unfulfilled promise of Proposition HHH, the $1.2-billion bond for homeless housing that Los Angeles voters approved more than three years ago. Finally on Monday, there was a grand opening. It’s the first to open of about 20 projects under construction. Work will begin on another 30 in 2020.
PUBLIC FINANCES
California one of the worst states to retire in, study says. Where does yours rank?
Modesto Bee
A new study has ranked the best and worst U.S. states in which to retire and there’s some bad news for Californians. Blacktower Financial Management Group ranked all 50 states based on factors including crime, cost of living, percentage of the population that’s 60 years or older, average property prices and life expectancy.
Trump's Tax Law: Promises vs. Reality
Capital & Main
Two years ago President Donald Trump signed the Tax Cut and Jobs Act, the largest overhaul of the U.S. tax code in more than three decades. Republicans promised the new legislation would provide a boost for household incomes, and that the new tax cuts would more than pay for themselves in economic growth. Trump likened the new law to "rocket fuel" for the economy.
Economists Question the Benefits of Targeted Tax Breaks
WSJ
States pay $30 billion a year to lure firms, but study finds incentives don’t seem to drive wider job growth.
TRANSPORTATION
Potential of Electric Vehicles Tied to Solar Research
UC Merced Newsroom
Not spending money on gas, oil changes, and tune-ups and not producing harmful greenhouse gas emissions is enough to sell many people on plug-in electric cars. But many consumers won’t bite until they’re assured that electric cars can go the distance before needing a charge.
Federal Judge Temporarily Exempts Truck Drivers From California Gig Worker Law
Reuters
A federal judge has temporarily blocked a California labor law meant to take effect from Jan. 1 from impacting over 70,000 independent truckers by granting a 'temporary restraining order.'
See also:
Initiative to Overturn California Independent Contractor Law for App-Based Drivers, Deliverers Advances Littler Mendelson P.C.
Washington Post
After California state legislators passed a law with the intention of transforming Uber drivers and other contractors into employees late last year, executives at the ride-hailing giant sprang into action.
Banning cars won't solve America's bigger transportation problem
Brookings
25 million cars were added to U.S. roadways from 2005 to 2018, a number that underscores the nation's growing dependence on cars. As some neighborhoods experiment with banning cars altogether, Joseph Kane urges planners, developers, and local leaders to focus on reducing travel distances and creating more connected, vibrant, and inclusive places.
EPA says it will cut pollution from heavy duty diesel trucks
Washington Post
The Environmental Protection Agency on Monday said it would soon propose tougher restrictions on pollution from heavy-duty trucks, an uncharacteristic move to tighten existing standards from an administration that has prided itself on a series of regulatory rollbacks.
WATER
2 bills could decide fate of critical Friant-Kern Canal in 2020. Will reps outside Valley care?
Visalia Times Delta
A duo of bills, at the state and federal level, will likely determine the fate of the Friant-Kern Canal in a legislative year that is shaping up to be pivotal for Central Valley growers and ag communities.
California’s Wild and Scenic Rivers Act Hampers Shasta Reservoir Project
PPIC
A proposal to raise Shasta Dam to increase storage capacity is unlikely to go forward, given the protected status of a tributary that the project would inundate.
“Xtra”
This Fresno restaurant just turned 40, and is celebrating with some decades-old prices
Fresno Bee
Back in 1979, Gloria Gaynor’s disco anthem “I Will Survive“ was topping the charts, Britain had just elected its first female prime minister, and gas in California cost around $1.09 a gallon. It was also the year Ovidio Ristorante Italianoopened in Fresno. The Italian restaurant, at Bullard and Marks avenues since it opened, just celebrated its 40th anniversary last month.
What do Modesto On Ice, graffiti culture and our 150th anniversary have in common?
Modesto Bee
These places and events help anchor Modesto in peoples’ hearts.
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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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