POLICY & POLITICS
Facts about Coccidioidomycosis (Valley Fever)
California Department of Public Health
Valley fever (also called coccidioidomycosis or “cocci”) is a disease caused by a fungus that grows in the soil and dirt in some areas of California and the southwestern United States. Anyone who lives, works, or visits in areas where Valley fever has been reported can become infected.
North SJ Valley:
Opinion: Tom McClintock wants us deported. But is anything more American than a ‘Dreamer’?
Sacramento Bee
Just before the House passed the Dream and Promise Act over his opposition last month, McClintock took to the floor to feign compassion before explaining that the 3.6 million Dreamers in the country are, at best, a bargaining chip for a border wall.
Central SJ Valley:
How can Fresno make its economy more inclusive and prosperous? A new effort is underway
Fresno Bee
The plan will focus on three key areas: economic development, human capital and neighborhood development. The plan will be revealed in November when the California Economic Summit is hosted in Fresno.
McEwen: Is Fresno Ready to Talk About Race? If Not, Shame on Us.
GV Wire
Is Fresno ready to honestly talk about race with willing ears and open minds? If not, the economy of our metropolitan region will never truly hum and scores of residents in poor neighborhoods will continue to be left behind.
City of Clovis uses grant to build pedestrian bridge over Freeway 168
Clovis Roundup
With the adoption of the 1993 General Plan, a concept for a pedestrian/bicycle trail system was born. Clovis began to develop a comprehensive trail system connecting neighborhoods to parks, schools, and employment centers. Today, 27 miles of trails have been developed not only connecting areas within Clovis, but into the greater metropolitan area.
South SJ Valley:
Trade deal puts ‘American businesses first,’ VP Mike Pence says during California stop
Fresno Bee
Vice President Mike Pence met with hundreds from the agriculture industry at a Kings County farm Wednesday afternoon and hailed the pending U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement as an example of “free, fair and reciprocal trade deals that put American businesses first.”
See also:
● We want you in the workforce, second lady tells military spouses during California visit Fresno Bee
● Navy spouse Mystere Garrett encouraged by Karen Pence’s speech in Lemoore Fresno Bee
● Vice President Mike Pence arrives for a luncheon at Harris Ranch Fresno Bee
● Pence encouraged that the USMCA will pass Fresno Bee
● Trade deal puts ‘American businesses first,’ VP Mike Pence says during California stop Fresno Bee
● Vice President Pence visiting South Valley abc30
● Second Lady speaks to military spouses about jobs at Lemoore Nas abc30
● Pence: Health Care for All Will Increase Human Trafficking GV Wire
● Pence visits Valley to push trade deal revision Visalia Times Delta
● VP Mike Pence: Passing NAFTA 2.0 will help Central Valley farmers Visalia Times Delta
● Vice President, Second Lady to visit the South Valley to talk about trade abc23
Kings County assessable property value rises to $11.3 billion
Hanford Sentinel
On Monday, Kristine Lee, Kings County assessor/clerk/recorder, announced the completion of the 2019-2020 assessment roll, which added millions of dollars to last year’s assessed values.
Homelessness spikes 11% in Tulare, Kings counties
Visalia Times Delta
Tulare County’s growing homeless population has been discussed countless times by county and city officials. A new report by Kings/Tulare Homeless Alliance sheds light on the regional problem.
Price: Picking a new city manager a weighty undertaking
Bakersfield Californian
The Bakersfield City Council is about to embark on an undertaking that will determine the city’s direction like no other single decision in recent memory: Finding the right person to call the shots.
Backers of Indian casino look to build public support in advance of government approvals
Bakersfield Californian
A campaign has been launched to build public support for the Tejon Indian Tribe’s proposed $600 million hotel and casino half an hour south of Bakersfield, and its success could prove pivotal as the project proceeds through a series of state and federal approval processes.
Parris gives upbeat State of City address
Valley Press
“This is going to change the world. It will change your world before the year is out,” Mayor R. Rex Parris said at Wednesday’s State of the City address at the Lancaster Chamber of Commerce luncheon.
State:
See the California cities where Republicans, Democrats are gaining – and losing – voters
Sacramento Bee
The political makeup of California’s cities has changed dramatically in the last decade: Far more residents decline to state a party preference and fewer identify as Republicans.
EDITORIAL: Insurance commissioner’s campaign cash scandal raises troubling questions
Sacramento Bee
Shady and suspicious. These two words describe how Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara’s political operation looks in the wake of San Diego Union-Tribune reporter Jeff McDonald’s investigation of his fundraising practices.
OPINION: After Ridgecrest, California is still overdue for a ‘Big One’ on its most active faults
Modesto Bee
The drawback of true socialism is that everyone benefits, but not everyone must contribute. Slackers are rewarded for doing nothing. Welfare as a temporary helping hand is not socialism. Absent limits on how long payments can be made, recipients may find welfare a disincentive to work. One cannot contribute to society without working.
Federal:
Facing calls for resignation, Acosta defends Epstein deal
Fresno Bee
Trying to tamp down calls for his resignation, Labor Secretary Alex Acosta on Wednesday defended his handling of a sex-trafficking case involving now-jailed financier Jeffrey Epstein, insisting he got the toughest deal he could at the time.
See also:
● Labor secretary addresses Epstein sex trafficking case abc30
● Facing calls for resignation, Labor Secretary Acosta defends Epstein deal Los Angeles Times
‘It will not be easy’: Dems prepare for their Mueller moment
Stockton Record
The stern, reticent former FBI director has said he won’t answer questions beyond what is in the report on Russia’s election meddling and the Trump campaign and possible obstruction of justice when he comes to Congress on July 17.
Pelosi implores Democrats to unify, warning of dangers ahead
Stockton Record
The battle-born leader implored her majority, after days of high-profile public infighting, to focus on common goals — including defeating President Donald Trump — and to silence the sniping that threatens their fragile hold on power.
See also:
● Pelosi urges Dems to keep rifts in ‘family’ amid progressive-moderate tension San Francisco Chronicle
Judges Reject Trump Administration Request To Swap Out Lawyers In Census Cases
Capital Public Radio
Two federal judges have rejected the Trump administration’s requests to completely change the legal teams defending its efforts to add a citizenship question to the 2020 census.
See Also:
● Judge rejects Justice Department gambit to swap lawyers in census citizenship fight Los Angeles Times
● Trump expected to announce executive action to try to get citizenship question on 2020 Census, according to administration official Washington Post
● Trump to Sign an Executive Action to Add Citizenship Question to Census Wall Street Journal
● Trump will announce executive order on census and immigration on Thursday afternoon Roll Call
● Trump’s citizenship census question battle is legally dubious. But he may have already won the war. NBC
● Trump expected to take executive action to add citizenship question to census Politico
Trump’s Leadership of Military More Trusted by Veterans Than Public, Study Finds
Wall Street Journal
Veterans are more approving than the American public of President Trump’s job as commander in chief, but their approval is split along partisan lines, according to a Pew Research Center study.
Elections 2020:
Sanders facing tougher 2020 competition for liberal support
Fresno Bee
Barbara Lee supported Bernie Sanders’ 2016 presidential bid, helping him score one of his most decisive victories that year when he dominated the New Hampshire primary. But as he wages another bid for the White House, Lee is looking at a different candidate.
Opinion: Tom Steyer for president? Spare me. What it says about the arrogance of rich white guys
Sacramento Bee
Tom Steyer, the California billionaire with too much time on his hands and too much ego for one man to possess, says he’s running for president to defeat Donald Trump.
See also:
● Who is Tom Steyer? A bio of the Democratic presidential candidate PolitiFact
● EDITORIAL: Steyer jumps into Democratic primary — but what does he add? San Francisco Chronicle
How Kamala Harris would increase housing assistance for people with criminal records
Politico
Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) rolled out a new plan Wednesday, in partnership with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), that intends to increase housing assistance to formerly incarcerated individuals and prevent unnecessary evictions.
Fact Check: NRA and statements about Joe Biden (Not True)
PolitiFact
As Democrats consider who to nominate as their presidential candidate, the National Rifle Association is sounding the alarm about former Vice President Joe Biden. “Biden calls for gun ban,” reads the text over a photo of Biden. “If elected, Joe Biden promises he will BAN your guns,” additional text says.
Who is Joe Sestak? A bio of the Democratic presidential candidate
PolitiFact
Joe Sestak spent 31 years in the Navy, retiring as an admiral. He then ousted a Republican U.S. House incumbent from Pennsylvania. But after winning re-election once, Sestak twice failed in U.S. Senate bids, in 2010 and 2016. In late June 2019, Sestak joined roughly two dozen other Democrats running for president.
Other:
7 ways to make sure your disaster relief donation is going to good hands
Fresno Bee
It’s easier than ever to make donations to charities online, but that makes it equally as easy for scammers trying to trick you. However, your local Better Business Bureau wants you and other readers to know that there are some easy ways to spot fake charities, as well as what to look for in real ones.
‘Fleas were eating animals alive:’ California zoo let animals slowly die, PETA says
Fresno Bee
Animal rights activists are calling for an animal cruelty investigation at a zoo in Bakersfield, California, after three animals died there — one starving skunk this year, and two flea-infested fisher cats last year.
See also:
● After several animals die, PETA calls for animal cruelty charges against California Living Museum Bakersfield Californian
Reflecting On Japanese American Internment Camps, Reparations, And Serving The Nation
KVPR
This week, a Japanese-American from Baton Rouge, Louisiana visited Fresno for
the first time in 78 years. In 1942, Walter Imahara and his family were ordered
to leave their home in Sacramento and come to the Fresno Assembly Center per
President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s Executive Order 9066. The family was then
sent to an internment camp in Arkansas.
AGRICULTURE/FOOD
Crazy Lines for Fresno State University’s Sweet Corn
abc30
After waiting months for harvest season, fans of Fresno State University’s sweet corn wake up early and wait for hours to get the first crop! It’s so famous that people from out of state will call to find out when the corn will go on sale so they can have it shipped to them and freeze it.
Gavin Newsom signed a law changing the definition of beer in California
Sacramento Bee
California is updating its legal definition of beer to include varieties fermented with fruit, honey, spices or other foods under a bill Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Tuesday.
California Today: What Can California Expect After 5 Years of Legal Marijuana?
New York Times
After five years of legalization, there has not been an increase in teenage marijuana use in Colorado. That’s good news to educators and public-health officials, and it’s a number many will be watching in California.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE / FIRE / PUBLIC SAFETY
Crime:
Extra officers added to Fresno streets after second gang-related shooting in a week
Fresno Bee
The shooting of a young child during a week of surging gang violence prompted Police Chief Jerry Dyer on Tuesday to order more special units onto Fresno streets. William Reed, 5, was hit by gunfire apparently aimed at his father or another nearby man Monday night while his father was loading him into his mother’s car in southeast Fresno, Dyer said.
Stanislaus County prosecutors charge Stockton fire chief accused of domestic violence
Modesto Bee
Stanislaus County prosecutors have filed a misdemeanor domestic violence charge against Stockton Fire Chief Erik Anthony Newman, who is accused of injuring a woman who used to live with him in Turlock.
Crime continues to drop in California. Here’s the numbers for your county
Sacramento Bee
Most violent and property crimes fell last year, continuing an ongoing decline in California, according to statistics released this month by the state Attorney General. The trend toward a less violent society is not consistent across every region, but overall — and with a few exceptions — people are committing fewer crimes per capita today than a decade ago.
State Funds Restorative Justice Pilot Program In San Joaquin County
Capital Public Radio
In the Restorative Justice model, the offender meets with the victim, makes amends and receives counseling to help find a job, housing and education. In turn, they avoid a criminal conviction.
Public Safety:
Dyer talks alternatives to curtailing gang shootings in wake of mayor’s Advance Peace veto
Fresno Bee
Fresno Police Chief Jerry Dyer on Wednesday outlined his plans for curtailing gang violence in the aftermath of Mayor Lee Brand’s veto of a city council initiative to prevent gang shootings.
SLO police chief left her gun in a restaurant bathroom — now it’s missing
Fresno Bee
San Luis Obispo’s police chief has issued a public apology after she left her gun in an El Pollo Loco bathroom Wednesday. When she went back to retrieve the firearm, it was was gone, and now the Police Department is looking for a man they suspect may have taken it.
Party problems: Police monitoring social media to curb violence
abc30
Fresno police are putting a focus on parties this summer after a rash of violence stemming from get-togethers. Shootings are actually on the decline in Fresno through the halfway point of 2019, but the number of people getting shot is up by 44%.
Police promote K-9 fund in honor of fallen Officer Tara O’Sullivan
Sacramento Bee
Commemorating O’Sullivan’s love of dogs, the Sacramento Police Department on Wednesday announced that a community fundraiser dedicated to bringing new K-9s to the Sacramento and Martinez police departments has already secured more than $20,000 in just three days.
OPINION: Police aren’t the only ones who can make communities safer
CALmatters
Law enforcement certainly plays a role in keeping our neighborhoods safe. But by focusing only on the police response, officials and the media in Stockton have largely ignored the important work being done by community-based anti-violence organizations like Advance Peace, where I work as a Neighborhood Change Agent.
Fire:
Wildfire bill gets OK from California committee
Porterville Recorder
A California Assembly committee has backed sweeping legislation meant to shore up the state’s electric utilities in the face of devastating wildfires.
See also:
● Newsom’s sweeping wildfire plan is on brink of passage San Francisco Chronicle
● California Wildfire Fund Would Put Aside $21 Billion for Damage Claims New York Times
● EDITORIAL: California is inexplicably racing to pass a badly vetted wildfire bill Los Angeles Times
Cal Fire video documentary shows Camp Fire’s first hours
Sacramento Bee
Cal Fire on July 10 published a dramatic new video documentary about the chaotic and lethal first few hours of last fall’s Camp Fire in Butte County from the firefighter perspective. It shows scenes of chaos.
See also:
● Camp Fire movie in the works as biopic, tentatively titled ‘Paradise,’ director announces Sacramento Bee
PG&E Knew for Years Its Lines Could Spark Wildfires, and Didn’t Fix Them
Wall Street Journal
PG&E Corp. knew for years that hundreds of miles of high-voltage power lines could fail and spark fires, yet it repeatedly failed to perform the necessary upgrades.
See Also:
● Federal judge orders PG&E to answer to report of shoddy maintenance San Francisco Chronicle
● Another dicey utility overhaul CALmatters
ECONOMY / JOBS
Economy:
How can Fresno make its economy more inclusive and prosperous? A new effort is underway
Fresno Bee
The plan will focus on three key areas: economic development, human capital and neighborhood development. The plan will be revealed in November when the California Economic Summit is hosted in Fresno.
Around the Valley: Tourism, STEM and opioid-addiction fighting grants; free fruit for kids
Fresno Bee
Visit Yosemite Madera County awarded $20,000 in grant money to five nonprofit tourism businesses on June 24 as part of its 2019 improvement program.
See also:
● Tourism grants awarded to Oakhurst-area organizations Sierra Star
Powell’s message to Congress: Rate cut is likely coming soon
Fresno Bee
Pointing to a weaker global economy, rising trade tensions and chronically low inflation, Chairman Jerome Powell signaled Wednesday that the Federal Reserve is likely to cut interest rates late this month for the first time in a decade.
See also:
● By appearing to buckle to Trump on rates, is the Fed chief creating problems down the road? Los Angeles Times
U.S. core inflation in June saw largest rise in 18 months
UPI
Core inflation in the United States — the difference in the costs of most
domestic goods and services — climbed during the month of June by the largest
amount in one and-a-half years, government figures showed Thursday.
California’s second largest pension fund says Trump’s tweets are a market risk
Sacramento Bee
President Donald Trump’s Twitter posts represent an investment risk for the nation’s second-largest public pension fund, according to a report from the California State Teachers’ Retirement System’s top investment official.
America’s expansion is now the longest on record
The Economist
Around the world investors, businesses and central bankers are grappling with a startling fact: at the end of July America’s economy will have been growing for 121 months, the longest run since records began in 1854, according to the nber, a research body.
America’s Top States for Business in 2019
CNBC
To rank CNBC’s 2019 America’s Top States for Business, we put all 50 states
through a rigorous test and graded them based on more than 60 measures of
competitiveness in 10 broad categories. Each category is weighted according to
how frequently states use them as a selling point in economic development
marketing materials.
California cities say bill harms plans for public utilities
Associated Press
With Pacific Gas & Electric Corp. in bankruptcy amid billions of dollars in wildfire liability claims, some California cities are considering buying off pieces of the utility’s assets and running parts of the power system on their own.
5G in five (not so) easy pieces
Brookings
Throughout the world, ink is being spilled and electrons exercised in a frenetic focus on fifth generation wireless technology, or 5G. The 5G discussion, with all its permutations and combinations, has grown to resemble an elementary school soccer game where everyone chases the ball, first in one direction, then another.
Jobs:
California Democrats turn up pressure on gig economy
Bakersfield Californian
The battle between California lawmakers and ridesharing companies such as Uber and Lyft heated up Wednesday as Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon offered harsh words laced with expletives for businesses in the gig economy.
See also:
● Are contracted workers ‘oppressed’ in California? Debate over ‘gig’ economy heats up Washington Post
● Uber and Lyft drivers swarm Sacramento as lawmakers advance gig workers’ rights bill Los Angeles Times
● Gig-work bill passes Senate committee as crowds rally for and against it San Francisco Chronicle
● Gig work bill: Who’s in, who’s out CALmatters
● Dynamex bill clears first vote since gig firms pitched deal Politico
SoCal grocers, workers return to bargaining table
Supermarket News
United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) union locals in Southern California resume talks today with Ralphs Grocery Co., Albertsons, Vons and Pavilions two weeks after authorizing a possible strike against the supermarket chains.
See Also:
● Special Notice For California Based Employees Of Albertsons, Vons, Pavilions And Ralphs Stores National Right to Work
● EDITORIAL: No, we shouldn’t dip into California’s unemployment funds to help striking workers Los Angeles Times
EDUCATION
K-12:
Teacher credentials come in for tough grading as CA rethinks charter school rules
CALmatters
California law grants charter schools “flexibility” in credentialing requirements for teachers assigned to classes outside of the “core” subjects of math, reading, science and social studies, as well as “college prep” courses such as Advanced Placement.
California’s test scores are so stagnant, it could take a generation to close the achievement gap
CALmatters
For the second year in a row, California students’ test scores have inched up so slowly that, by some estimates, it could take a generation for disadvantaged students to close the achievement gap with their peers.
Higher Ed:
Program helps Valley teachers improve their skills through writing
abc30
Close to two dozen teachers apart of the San Joaquin Valley Writing Program at Fresno State have similar feelings of gratitude. For 40 years, the program has taken groups of educators willing to learn and has given them new teaching tools.
In The Studio: How Do You Prepare Students For College When They’re The First In Their Family To Go?
KVPR
Going to college is hard enough, but what if no one in your family can tell you
how to study, help you choose classes, fill out financial aid forms, or even
apply in the first place? What if you’re the first in your family to experience
this? A federal program called Upward Bound gives first-generation college
students that support.
Two Fresno State Nursing Programs Not Accredited: University Seeks To Rectify Problems
KVPR
In mid-June, Fresno State announced that one of its nursing programs – the
Master’s of Science in Nursing – had lost its accreditation. It’s the first
Fresno State program that’s ever had its accreditation withdrawn, but it’s
actually the second accreditation-related snafu to hit the university’s nursing
school in the past year.
California’s Brain Gain Continues
PPIC
California’s population continues to grow (through births and international
migration), but every year it loses tens of thousands of people to other
states. And yet there is one group that California continues to attract:
college graduates.
California’s ‘Fair Pay to Play’ Bill: An Idea That’s Long Overdue
Intelligencer
The loud and proud protests spearheaded by a triumphant U.S. Women’s World Cup championship team have placed the long-simmering topic of fair compensation for athletes back in the news. Obviously, they are focused on gender equity in professional athletics.
Teachers union to sue Education Department over student loan forgiveness program
The Hill
The American Federation of Teachers is planning to file a lawsuit Thursday against the Education Department over the public service student loan forgiveness program, NPR reported.
ENVIRONMENT/ ENERGY
Environment:
‘Potentially harmful’ blue-green algae found in Lake Isabella, lake users should exercise caution
Bakersfield Californian
The Kern County Public Health Services Department is urging anyone who spends time at Lake Isabella to exercise caution to avoid ‘potentially harmful’ algae.
California asks US to end plan to drop rat poison on islands
Bakersfield Californian
Federal wildlife officials were urged Wednesday to withdraw a proposal to drop 1.5 tons of rat poison on remote islands off the coast of California to kill a mice infestation until they address questions on the impact to wildlife.
On population awareness day, focus should be on sustainable living
Stockton Record
On this population day, we need to be reminded that population growth is plundering and destroying our planet. We are collectively and individually our own worst enemy.
After Ridgecrest, California is still overdue for a ‘Big One’ on its most active faults
Sacramento Bee
Last weekend’s pair of powerful Ridgecrest temblors, 6.4 magnitude on Friday and 7.1 magnitude on Saturday, offered a stark reminder: “The Big One” is coming.
See also:
● California’s Earthquake Risk Extends Far Beyond San Andreas Fault KVPR
● Ridgecrest earthquake mystery: Why so little destruction from huge temblors? Los Angeles Times
California moves to block Trump from rolling back its environmental protections
Los Angeles Times
There’s a new twist in the California-Trump brawl in the state Legislature. It’s aimed at overriding the president’s power to weaken environmental protections. Put simply, any federal protections President Trump tried to gut would immediately become state regulations in their original, strong form.
Nova
A study finds that close to a trillion trees could potentially be planted on Earth—enough to sequester more than 200 billion tons of carbon. But environmental change on this scale is no easy task.
Fresno Bee
It’s disappointing — but not really unexpected — that Republican lawmakers like Rep. Kevin McCarthy, Rep. Devin Nunes and state Assemblyman Jordan Cunningham would voice unequivocal support for the Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area — while not even paying lip service to health concerns of Nipomo Mesa residents.
Energy:
California cities say bill harms plans for public utilities
Bakersfield Californian
With Pacific Gas & Electric Corp. in bankruptcy amid billions of dollars in wildfire liability claims, some California cities are considering buying off pieces of the utility’s assets and running parts of the power system on their own.
HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES
Health:
E. Coli outbreak that killed toddler hits 10 confirmed cases, Calif. officials say
Fresno Bee
An E. Coli outbreak linked to the San Diego County Fair has reached 10 confirmed cases, including a toddler who died of the bacterial infection last month, health officials said Wednesday.
Facts about Coccidioidomycosis (Valley Fever)
California Department of Public Health
Valley fever (also called coccidioidomycosis or “cocci”) is a disease caused by a fungus that grows in the soil and dirt in some areas of California and the southwestern United States. Anyone who lives, works, or visits in areas where Valley fever has been reported can become infected.
A black mother told not to scream in labor asks: Can California fix racism in maternity care?
CALmatters
For African-American mothers, that improvement has remained elusive. Statewide as well as nationally, black women are substantially more likely than white women to suffer life-threatening complications during pregnancy, give birth prematurely, die in childbirth and lose their babies.
Does marijuana hurt or help your brain? Scientists rush to study the drug’s impact
PBS
As national attitudes and laws around cannabis use have evolved, so have the
commercially grown strains of the plant. Some marijuana varieties today contain
levels of THC, the drug’s psychoactive compound, as high as 50 percent,
compared to around 5 percent a generation ago.
Human Services:
Pence: Health Care for All Will Increase Human Trafficking
GV Wire
Pence reacted to California Gov. Gavin Newsom signing SB 104 into law on Tuesday. The bill extends taxpayer-funded health benefits to all low-income Californians 25 or under, regardless of immigration status.
Calif. first state to provide health care for some migrants
Visalia Times Delta
Gov. Gavin Newsom signed legislation making California the first state to provide health care coverage to young, undocumented adults. The $98 million measure targets almost 100,000 people.
See also:
● California Becomes First In Nation To Expand Medicaid To Undocumented Young Adults VPR
● California Oks Benefits To Immigrants In Country Illegally The Business Journal
Legislation to stop patients getting massive ER bills is on life support
San Francisco Chronicle
The attempt by two San Francisco politicians to stop hospitals around California from sticking patients who receive emergency care with outrageous bills is on life support.
See also:
· Hospitals Block ‘Surprise Billing’ Measure California Healthline
· California Effort To Stop Surprise Hospital Bills Stalls Capital Public Radio
Trump signs order directing government to overhaul care for kidney disease
Los Angeles Times
President Trump signed an executive order Wednesday directing the government to revamp the nation’s care for kidney disease so that more people whose kidneys fail have a chance at early transplants and home dialysis.
The GOP’s nightmare scenario is playing out in its Obamacare lawsuit
Los Angeles Times
The 2020 election is shaping up to be yet another referendum on healthcare, thanks to a long-shot lawsuit against the Affordable Care Act that has somehow stayed alive in the courts.
See Also:
● Erasing Obamacare Could Undermine Trump’s Own Health Initiatives New York Times
Washington Post
The Trump administration pulled one of its key proposals to lower drug prices that would have eliminated rebates to middlemen in Medicare, which President Trump’s top health official had touted as potentially the most significant change to curb medicine costs for consumers.
See Also:
● Trump Administration Drops Plan to Curb Drug Rebates Wall Street Journal
● President Trump Withdraws Plan to Eliminate Drug Price Rebates New York Times
● White House kills major drug pricing proposal Axios
IMMIGRATION
New holding center for migrant children opens in Texas
Bakersfield Californian
A former oilfield worker camp off a dirt road in rural Texas has become the U.S. government’s newest holding center for detaining migrant children after they leave Border Patrol stations, where complaints of overcrowding and filthy conditions have sparked a worldwide outcry.
See also:
● ‘World should know what is happening’ to children in ICE detention: Mother testifies abc30
● Trump administration opens a new shelter for migrant youth — just as their numbers drop Los Angeles Times
● Cruelty to migrant children shouldn’t be a partisan issue Los Angeles Times
How local Girl Scouts group is making an impact at area migrant farmworkers camps
Modesto Bee
The Girl Scouts Heart of Central California wants to supplement the education of kids like Renata living in farmworker housing throughout the Central Valley. The Girl Scouts offers educational programs involving Science, Technology, Engineering and Math, also known as STEM.
If it seems like your citizenship or green card is taking too long, here’s how to check
Miami Herald
The general climate in the United States for immigrants, tighter enforcement of immigration law aimed at slowing legal immigration, and delays in the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) processing of applications and petitions for immigration benefits under the Trump administration, have left many immigrants worried about the slow pace of their pending cases.
U.S. Prepares to Arrest Thousands of Immigrant Family Members
New York Times
Nationwide raids to arrest thousands of members of undocumented families have been scheduled to begin Sunday, according to two current and one former homeland security officials, moving forward with a rapidly changing operation, the final details of which remain in flux.
LAND USE/HOUSING
Land Use:
Great Wolf adds new day-pass option as Manteca resort begins to take shape
Stockton Record
The largest family resort and indoor water park in San Joaquin County is beginning to take shape in Manteca, where work is underway on the Great Wolf Lodge, projected to open in 2020.
Housing:
New apartment complex coming to Madera for veterans
abc30
For years a lot in Downtown Madera has been vacant. But in a matter of months, it will be a new housing development for veterans in the city. Mayor Andy Medellin says the lot will be one of two three-story apartment buildings for vets in Madera.
Fresno Bank Assists In Landing $1.3m For Affordable Housing
The Business Journal
The Housing Authority of Fresno County and Self-Help Enterprises, a Fresno County nonprofit, have announced that they are the recipients of the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco (FHLBANK San Francisco) Affordable Housing Program grants.
Homelessness spikes 11% in Tulare, Kings counties
Visalia Times Delta
Tulare County’s growing homeless population has been discussed countless times by county and city officials. A new report by Kings/Tulare Homeless Alliance sheds light on the regional problem.
See also:
· Desperate to get rid of homeless people, some are using prickly plants, fences, barriers Los Angeles Times
· How Would You Improve Affordable Housing In Your City? Politico
Thousands of Families Could Lose Housing in California Under Trump Proposal
KQED
A federal plan to deny public housing and rental aid programs to households
that include an ineligible immigrant could leave thousands of families homeless
in California.
Public housing is suffering from a lack of funding, not an overflow of immigrants
Los Angeles Times
The Department of Housing and Urban Development has proposed a rule change that would exclude any households with immigrants in the country illegally from living in public housing or using a voucher to help pay for private market rental housing.
See also:
● Rent control bill struggles in California Legislature San Francisco Chronicle
PUBLIC FINANCES
The open secret about California taxes
CALmatters
California’s tax system, which relies heavily on the wealthy for state income, is prone to boom-and-bust cycles. While it delivers big returns from the rich whenever Wall Street goes on a bull run, it forces state and local governments to cut services, raise taxes or borrow money in a downturn.
AEI
As Americans age, their institutions and laws age with them: Administrative and regulatory bloat can be seen in areas as wide ranging as labor law, zoning, criminal justice, higher education, and public and private debt—all of which points to a general ossification of American society.
OPINION: Taxing tampons isn’t just unfair, it’s unconstitutional
Los Angeles Times
If the government were to require that only men or only women had to pay a tax of several hundred dollars a year solely because of their sex, that would be an unconstitutional denial of equal protection under the 14th Amendment. Yet that is exactly the effect of the so-called tampon tax.
OPINION: Trump trillion-dollar-plus deficits are putting America on a path to fiscal ruin
USA Today
It became very clear this month that neither the Trump White House nor its allies on Capitol Hill want you to know that the federal budget is already in very bad shape … and getting worse.
TRANSPORTATION
City of Clovis uses grant to build pedestrian bridge over Freeway 168
Clovis Roundup
With the adoption of the 1993 General Plan, a concept for a pedestrian/bicycle trail system was born. Clovis began to develop a comprehensive trail system connecting neighborhoods to parks, schools, and employment centers. Today, 27 miles of trails have been developed not only connecting areas within Clovis, but into the greater metropolitan area.
How much would it take to get you to buy an electric car? California could increase rebates
Sacramento Bee
What would it take to motivate more California drivers to buy electric cars the next time they go to the dealer? A California lawmaker who in the past has proposed banning sales of new gas-powered cars wants to find out.
California Wants To Allow Credit Cards At The DMV, But It’ll Cost You A Fee
Capital Public Radio
Gov. Gavin Newsom wants credit cards to be accepted at all DMV offices. The bad news? Customers will have to pick up the tab on credit card fees.
Boaters 35 and younger face safety-card deadline in California
San Francisco Chronicle
A time bomb is ticking for a huge swath of the boating public that will be required, starting Jan. 1, to have the California Boaters Card in possession before operating a boat.
Bicycle Accidents in the United States
People Powered Movement
Statistics show that while the overall number of bicycle accidents in the country is declining, the number of fatal bike accidents is on the rise. In 2015, there were 45,000 reported bicycle accidents in the United States, down from 50,000 reported accidents in the prior year. However, the number of fatal accidents increased by more than 12 percent during this same time.
WATER
As Fresh Water Grows Scarcer, It Could Become a Good Investment
New York Times
Water is easy to take for granted. It falls from the sky, and, though it’s vital, we sometimes treat it as if it’s worthless. How often have you seen sprinklers running in the rain? Yet the prospect of shortages in the years ahead could make water a precious commodity. That represents an opportunity for investors.
“Xtra”
‘No Surrender Adventure Park’ expands Clovis facility with new ropes course.
abc30
Kids are gearing up for some fun at the new attraction for “No Surrender Adventure Park.” The indoor family entertainment center opened at Sierra Vista Mall two years ago, but just two weeks ago they added a new two-story ropes course.
Clovis Hall of Fame announces honorees for September event
Clovis Roundup
The Clovis Hall of Fame has been honoring those that have made and continue to make the Clovis community the special community that it is since 1975. If you’re interested in attending and being a part of this event, please visit www.clovishalloffame.org to purchase and find tickets.
Parks and Rec seeks volunteers, sponsors for ‘Night to Remember’
Hanford Sentinel
Parks and Recreation is currently looking for volunteers and ideas to make Sept. 13 a night to remember for Hanford’s special needs community.
Could Trout’s become Trout’s again?
Bakersfield Californian
Trout’s Nightclub in Oildale played a unique role in honky-tonk culture in the southern Central Valley. But then it ended — with a whimper. And now the North Chester Avenue building is on the real estate market for the third time in three years.
Selfies and vegan nachos? Here’s what’s new and interesting at the California State Fair
Sacramento Bee
The California State Fair is just around the corner. From amusement park rides to endless picture taking opportunities and delicious fair food, the State Fair is back with new attractions, entertainment and discounts.