July 31, 2019

31Jul


POLICY & POLITICS

North SJ Valley:

Stockton City Council fires City Manager Kurt Wilson

Stockton Record

Kurt Wilson’s five-year tenure as Stockton’s city manager ended late this afternoon when he was fired by the City Council.Wilson announced the move in an email to city employees after the City Council conducted his performance evaluation in the closed session before tonight’s regular council meeting.

Deputy DA recovering after being hit by a car Friday

Stockton Record

Tracy City Councilman and Deputy DA Dan Arriola was hit by a car while walking in downtown Stockton last week.

Central SJ Valley:

Two people infected with West Nile virus, others showing signs, Fresno health department says

Fresno Bee

Two people have tested positive for the West Nile virus in Fresno County. 

Loophole allows families to get aid meant for needy students

Fresno Bee

The U.S. Education Department is being urged to close a loophole that has allowed some wealthy families to get federal, state and university funding that’s meant to help needy students.

South SJ Valley:

SUV with body pulled out of Kern River. Is it McFarland’s missing city manager?

Sacramento Bee

In the end, neither leads nor the promise of reward money solved the mystery of McFarland’s missing city manager. Time did. 

Advocates Ask Supervisors To Allocate Money In Annual Budget For Infrastructure Improvement Projects In Rural Areas Of Kern

South Kern Sol

Dozens of Kern County employees and residents living in rural communities advocated for more money to be allocated to their departments and communities during the second meeting to discuss the recommended county budget.

State:

It’s not just Trump. California’s new law could keep other presidential candidates off its ballot

Fresno Bee

California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill on Tuesday requiring President Donald Trump to release the last five years of his tax returns to get on the state’s 2020 primary ballot.

See also:

California governor signs domestic partnership law

Bakersfield Californian

Heterosexual couples now have an alternative to marriage in California. Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a law on Tuesday that lets straight couples register as domestic partners.

Shape California’s Future

California State Auditor

Every ten years, after the federal census, California must re-establish the boundaries of its Congressional, State Senate, State Assembly, and State Board of Equalization districts to reflect new population data and shifting populations. The Voters FIRST Act gave this power to California citizens ensuring that new and fair political boundaries are drawn without special interests, politics and political influence.

Federal:

Judge rejects Democrats case against Trump 2016 campaign

Fresno Bee

Democrats’ claims that President Donald Trump’s campaign conspired with Russia were tossed out Tuesday by a judge who noted there were no allegations that anyone from the campaign stole documents from the Democratic National Committee.

Voters think Trump is racist, but majority says he shouldn’t be impeached, poll finds

Sacramento Bee

A majority of U.S. voters believe that President Donald Trump is a racist, according to a poll released Tuesday by Quinnipiac University. A slight majority, 51 percent, think Trump is racist, while 45 percent do not, the survey found.

See also:

Trump likes aides to tell him what he wants to hear. Will his pick for intelligence chief do likewise?

Los Angeles Times

President Trump’s choice of a Republican congressman with little national security experience to serve as his top intelligence advisor is another step in his slow-motion purge of administration officials who offer facts that challenge his worldview.

Hours after Trump retweet, Q-non Twitter account suspended

The Hill

Twitter reportedly suspended an account on Tuesday night that had been retweeted by President Trump just hours earlier.

See also:

Trump Military Nominee Battles Misconduct Allegations in Confirmation Hearing 

Wall Street Journal

Gen. Hyten addresses female colonel’s accusation: ‘Nothing happened. Ever.’ Accuser says, ‘he lied about sexually assaulting me.’

Judge Dismisses Democrats’ Suit Against Russia, Trump Campaign 

Wall Street Journal

DNC lawsuit alleged a conspiracy to hack into computer network and leak information damaging to Hillary Clinton’s 2016 campaign.

EDITORIAL: Protecting American elections from sabotage is apparently now a partisan issue

Los Angeles Times

Securing American elections against foreign interference — including by Russian computer hackers breaking into U.S. election infrastructure — ought to be an urgent and bipartisan priority.

See also:

Op-Ed: In the Trump era, Americans can’t agree on the past, much less the future

Los Angeles Times

As President Trump and Trump’s myriad critics remind us on a daily basis, ours is today a profoundly divided nation. Yet understanding the source of those divisions, amply displayed in perceptions of this week’s Democratic debates, requires looking beyond the antagonisms of the moment. Americans need to recover what aviators call situational awareness – a knowledge of where we are and how we got here.

Elections 2020:

‘Do or die:’ The pressure is on struggling 2020 Democrats to break through at Detroit debates

Fresno Bee

With the leading candidates increasingly separating themselves from the rest of 2020 Democratic presidential primary field, this week’s second set of debates are shaping up to be most crucial for the bottom half of the pack who are dwelling in single digits and struggling to raise money. 

See also:

Democrats’ presidential also-rans could be key to battle for the Senate in 2020

Fresno Bee

Some of the 24 candidates currently building national name recognition will likely be dropping out of the presidential race. And they might be persuaded to help the Democratic Party seize control of the Senate from Republicans in 2020.

Frontrunner No More: California Poll Puts Harris On Top And Biden (Way) Down

Capital Public Radio

Kamala Harris comes first with 19% of likely Democratic voters. Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders come second and third. Biden, the presumed front-runner, comes fourth.

See also:

Five things about the Supreme Court we need to hear from the Democratic debates

Los Angeles Times

A poll conducted for the Pew Research Center before the 2018 midterm elections found that 76% of registered voters said that Supreme Court appointments were “very important” to their vote. Presumably the issue will be even more important to them in a presidential contest.

Trump pick Scalia becomes 2020 target for labor unions

The Hill

Democrats and organized labor aim to make Eugene Scalia, the pick to lead the Labor Department, a target in 2020 in hopes of testing President Trump’s support among rank-and-file union voters.

See also:

Fox: PPIC CA Poll Shows Tight Race for Popular Vote Among Democrats, but Who is Going to Get the Delegates? 

Fox & Hounds

How many delegates will the Democratic presidential candidates win in California’s March primary? It’s difficult to tell with early polling because the Democrats have a complex formula for securing delegates to their national convention and statewide poll numbers are more general in nature.

Marianne Williamson’s fans made her the ‘orb queen’ of the 2020 campaign

Washington Post

Her first debate won her many devotees, from ironic meme-makers to earnest occultists.

Mayor Pete Has a Race Problem

Wall Street Journal

Buttigieg has even less black support than the president he calls a racist.

House Democratic Campaign Chair Shakes Up Staff Amid Criticism Over Diversity 

Wall Street Journal

Rep. Cheri Bustos addresses issues at emergency meeting; DCCC executive director Allison Jaslow resigns and five top staffers leave.

How did the presidential campaign get to be so long

The Conversation

Four hundred and thirty-two days prior to the election and 158 days before the Iowa caucus, millions of Americans will tune in for the second round of Democratic debates.

White House scrambles to create health-care agenda for Trump’s campaign

Washington Post

White House advisers, scrambling to create a health-care agenda for President Trump to promote on the campaign trail, are meeting at least daily with the aim of rolling out a measure every two to three weeks until the 2020 election.

Other:

Fossils found in Madera County landfill

abc30

Paleontologists follow each pass of the scraper at the Fairmead landfill to see if any clues to the Valley’s past can be unearthed.

George Will, Conservatism’s Dean: His Impossible Elegance

National Review

George Will saved me from two unfortunate habits: overwriting and the Democratic party.

The Democratic Victory Playbook

Wall Street Journal

Swing voters find left-of-center policies congenial, provided they’re not too far left.

See also:

MADDY INSTITUTE PUBLIC POLICY PROGRAMMING

Sunday, August 4, at 5 p.m. on ABC30 – Maddy Report: “Water in the San Joaquin Valley: A PPIC Report” – Guest: Ellen Hanak, Director – Water Policy Center – PPIC. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.

Sunday, August 4, at 10 a.m. on Newstalk 580AM/105.9FM (KMJ) – Maddy Report – Valley Views Edition: “A Comprehensive Look at the Valley’s Water Challenges” – Guest: Ellen Hanak, Director – Water Policy Center – PPIC. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.

Sunday, August 4, at 7:30 a.m. on UniMas 61 (KTTF) – El Informe Maddy: “Prevención de la violencia escolar: Informe de la auditora estatal” – Invitados: Margarita Fernandez, Jefe de Relaciones Publicas de las Oficina de la Auditora Estatal. Presentado Por: Coordinadora del Programa del Maddy Institute, Maria Jeans.

AGRICULTURE/FOOD

Grove: Congress should back Trump trade deal with Mexico, Canada to help California farmers

Fresno Bee

Agriculture is the foundation of the Golden State. California’s rich land and diverse climates make us the top producer of agricultural goods in the nation. Farming is more than a job; it supports our economies, infrastructure and communities.

More California farmers say planting solar panels makes sense 

Los Angeles Times

 Jon Reiter banked the four-seat Cessna aircraft hard to the right, angling to get a better look at the solar panels glinting in the afternoon sun far below.

500,000 Children Could Lose Free School Meals Under Trump Administration Proposal

New York Times

More than 500,000 children would lose automatic eligibility for free school meals under a rule proposed last week by the Agriculture Department intended to tighten access to food stamps.

Snapchat and Twitter cannabis ads risk government crackdown

Market Watch

Marijuana ads on Snapchat and Twitter test murky Health Canada regulations, may have repercussions for publishers and pot companies.

Trump’s $16 billion farm bailout will make rich farmers richer, report says

Washington Post

While the top 1 percent of recipients received on average more than $180,000 each, farmers in the bottom 80 percent on average received less than $5,000.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE / FIRE / PUBLIC SAFETY

Crime:

SJ leaders may ‘double down’ on security in wake of Gilroy tragedy

Stockton Record

The Gilroy Garlic Festival became the latest in a string of public events marred by gun violence. Local law enforcement and event organizers took notice, as did the nation.

See also:

Gavin Newsom signs law to ban condoms as evidence of sex work

Sacramento Bee

Gov. Gavin Newsom signed legislation on Tuesday that prohibits condoms as evidence of prostitution when prosecuting someone for sex work crimes. Sex workers are also protected under the new law from arrest when they report rape and other serious felonies.

Sacramento judge vacates conviction in 13-year-old Lodi terror case of Hamid Hayat

Sacramento Bee

In a stunning move, the federal judge in Sacramento who oversaw the trial and conviction of accused Lodi terror suspect Hamid Hayat 13 years ago has ordered the conviction and sentence vacated.

Bakersfield businesses using classical music, opera and ABBA to combat panhandling, loitering

Bakersfield Californian

At least three Rite Aid locations in Bakersfield, apparently dealing with the presence of panhandlers and vagrants, are piping classical music to outdoor areas around the stores — including in the rear of the stores where street people sometimes gather.

Public Safety:

Contract deal gives 10 percent raise or more to state safety & law enforcement employees 

Sacramento Bee

Pay for dispatchers, security officers, inspectors and other public safety and law enforcement employees at the state will go up at least 10 percent over the next four years in a tentative agreement their union reached with the state.

Valley Needs More CASA Volunteers To Advocate For Foster Youth

VPR

Across Fresno and Madera Counties, about 2,600 kids are currently in foster care. Although foster parents, attorneys, social workers and judges work together to move cases through the court system, some needs fall through the cracks.

Guns Across Borders: California Has Strict Laws, but Nevada Doesn’t

New York Times

In Nevada, the purchase by the 19-year-old was legal. But just across the line in California, where the minimum age for purchasing a rifle is now 21, the weapon is banned and should never have been brought into the state, according to the state’s attorney general, Xavier Becerra.

After Gilroy shooting, police bolster security at Watsonville Strawberry Festival

Santa Cruz Sentinel

‘More important than ever’ for community to come together, officials say.

Op-Ed: How data privacy laws could make the criminal justice system even more unfair

Los Angeles Times

A cluster of new and proposed state and federal laws will soon make it harder for people accused of crimes to defend themselves. All of these laws are well-intended — to protect privacy by shielding sensitive personal information — but they suffer from a fundamental unfairness that needs correction.

How is a ‘mass shooting’ defined?

PolitiFact California

How many people must die in a shooting before it’s termed a ‘mass shooting’? Four people? Two? None at all?

The Capital One Data Breach: What It Means for You 

Wall Street Journal

A hacker accessed personal information of over 100 million credit-card customers and applicants. Here’s what you need to know to protect your information.

See also:

Fire: 

Kings County Fire Department receives 8 new recruits

Hanford Sentinel

The Kings County Fire Department added to its staff Monday as eight new probationary recruits started their first day as firefighters.

Gavin Newsom adds hundreds more firefighters amid fears of ‘large and damaging’ fire season 

Sacramento Bee

The long rainy season promoted heavy growth of grass and other underbrush in which fires can start and spread once the vegetation dries out. Cal Fire and the state firefighter union have said the state needs more firefighters to face the escalating threat.

Here are the CA towns at highest wildfire risk for the elderly, disabled and immobile

Sacramento Bee

The nonprofit Direct Relief has mapped out which small towns in California could be the hardest hit by a fast-moving wildfire based on the numbers of low-income, immobile, aging or disabled people in those communities.

Supervisors approve McFarland fire deal

Bakersfield Californian

The Kern County Board of Supervisors have approved an agreement with the city of McFarland that allows the Kern County Fire Department to provide fire services to the city.

Worried About Wildfires, Californians Ready To Spend, Vote To Fight Climate Change

Capital Public Radio

Californians want the state to lead the world in fighting climate change—and many are ready to tackle the problem on the road, at the ballot box, and even with their pocketbooks.

Tucker fire grows to 14,000 acres, becoming largest blaze in California this year

Los Angeles Times

The Tucker fire in Modoc County has burned more than 14,000 acres with 10% reported containment, making it the largest wildfire in California so far this year, officials said Tuesday.

ECONOMY / JOBS

Economy:

US consumer confidence rebounds sharply in July

Fresno Bee

American consumer confidence rebounded this month to the highest level since November after drooping in June. The Conference Board, a business research group, said Tuesday that its consumer confidence index rose to 135.7 in July from 124.3 in June.

See also:

Bank of America closes west Modesto branch; residents protest decision to leave area

Modesto Bee

Why did Bank of America choose to close its Paradise Road bank, leaving west Modesto without a bank?

China wants to delay trade talks past 2020 election, Trump says

Los Angeles Times

President Trump has accused China of wanting to stall trade negotiations through the 2020 election in hopes of being able to negotiate with a more malleable Democratic president. Yet if reelected, Trump threatened to get “much tougher” with Beijing.

See also:

Stocks slip, pulled down by company earnings reports

Los Angeles Times

A mixed batch of corporate earnings helped drag the major U.S. stock indexes down slightly Tuesday, pulling the market further from its recent record highs for the second straight day.

Stocks tumble as Federal Reserve says interest rate cut is not start of a ‘lengthy cycle’

Washington Post

The Fed cut interest rates for the first time since December 2008.

See also:

A Closer Look at Poverty in California

PPIC

California Poverty by County and Legislative District

Inequality between high- and low-income households decreases sharply after adjustments

AEI

Analyzing the most recent Bureau of Labor Statistics data on household income and consumption reveals that a significant amount of the unadjusted differences between high- and low-income households disappears.

See also:

Study: El Niño has outsize economic effect on California

Washington Post

Damage during El Niño events is 10 times that of La Niña. One percent of flood events have caused more than two-thirds of total losses in recent decades.

Jobs:

Uber fires 400 people in restructuring and Lyft sees a shake-up

abc30

Uber laid off one-third of its marketing team – or 400 employees – on Monday as the company restructures just months after its disappointing IPO.

Cook settles with Davis restaurant after owner allegedly fired her for speaking Spanish

Sacramento Bee

A woman who alleged she was fired last May from her job as a cook at a Davis restaurant for speaking Spanish has reached a settlement agreement with her former employer.

Contract deal gives 10 percent raise or more to state safety & law enforcement employees 

Sacramento Bee

Pay for dispatchers, security officers, inspectors and other public safety and law enforcement employees at the state will go up at least 10 percent over the next four years in a tentative agreement their union reached with the state.

Half of California workers have no retirement savings, says UC Berkeley report 

San Jose Mercury

Many Californians may sink into downward mobility in their golden years because of a lack of retirement savings, says a new report by Berkeley’s Center for Labor Research and Education.

EDITORIAL: The 99% Get a Bigger Raise

Wall Street Journal

New data show much faster growth in wages and incomes.

EDUCATION

K-12:

California seeks feedback on draft ethnic studies curriculum

Sacramento Bee

The California Department of Education has posted a draft of its proposed ethnic studies curriculum – the first state-level curriculum on the academic subject in the country – and is asking for public feedback.

New elementary school opens in Wasco

Bakersfield Californian

A new elementary school that will welcome around 600 inaugural Wasco students on Aug. 12 opened its doors Tuesday with a ribbon cutting ceremony. 

At a summer camp where community comes first, STEM education thrives

EdSource

Sometimes engaging students in math and science means hands-on experiments and projects. Other times, it simply means asking how they’re doing that day.

Remembering Glen Thomas, who helped shape California’s academic standards 

EdSource

In the last column that he wrote for EdSource, in January, Glen Thomas listed the 10 elements that would be in his Marshall Plan for underperforming schools that he was proposing. 

Higher Ed:

Loophole allows families to get aid meant for needy students

Fresno Bee

The U.S. Education Department is being urged to close a loophole that has allowed some wealthy families to get federal, state and university funding that’s meant to help needy students.

Fresno State Pres. Joseph Castro Named to College Football Playoff Board

GV Wire

Fresno State President Joseph I. Castro has been appointed to the Board of Managers of the College Football Playoff, the organization charged with selecting the four programs and overseeing the semifinal and championship games.

STEPS grant provides work readiness training and employment

Porterville Recorder

Through a grant from the Workforce Investment Board of Tulare County (WIB), participants were given work readiness training and placed with various public and private organizations in the Porterville area. 

Let Bernie Sanders fix it? Poll finds student loan borrowers contemplating default

Sacramento Bee

Thinking about defaulting on those student loans on the chance a Democrat gets elected in 2020? You’re not alone. 

Registered Nursing recognizes CSUB as top 5 online RN to BSN nursing program in Calif.

Bakersfield Now

California State University, Bakersfield has had their online RN to BSN nursing program named top five by registerednurses.org.

How to Learn the Law Without Law School

New York Times

California is one of a handful of states that allow apprenticeships like Mr. Tittle’s in lieu of a law degree as a prerequisite to taking the bar and practicing as a licensed lawyer. 

Apprenticeships:

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ENVIRONMENT/ ENERGY

Environment:

Nearly 28,000 barrels of oil, water removed from Cymric oil seepage

KGET 

Cleanup efforts at an oil seepage have recovered nearly 28,000 barrels of oil and briney water from an oilfield near McKittrick.

How Latinos can help in the fight against climate change

CALmatters

In California, climate change is a personal issue. We seem to be experiencing its earliest effects much more dramatically than the rest of the country.

A blind spot in Brown’s green worldview? Critics say it’s oil

CALmatters

The venue was a high-level international climate conference sponsored by the United Nations, but the demonstrators were undeterred.

Do we really only have 10 years to solve climate change? Fact checking 13 claims from night 1 of the debate

Washington Post

In the second debate of the Democratic primary season (part one), 10 presidential hopefuls came prepared with facts and figures, some of which were overstated or incorrect. Here is a round-up of 13 statements that caught our attention. As is our practice, we do not award Pinocchios during live events.

The World’s Most Littered Item Comes Under Fire

Wall Street Journal

Cigarette butts, the most littered items in the world, are posing an intractable trash problem for regulators and tobacco companies: Throwing them on the ground is a firmly entrenched habit for many smokers.

Energy:

Why California Calls the Public Utilities Commission Whenever We Face an Impossible Mess

Zócalo Public Square

In a state that wants to regulate everything, the puc does the work politicians don’t want to do.

Want To Make Your Home Smart? Start With the Lights 

Wall Street Journal

Smart bulbs are the easiest smart-home device you can buy—but that doesn’t mean they’re easy enough or smart enough.

HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES

Health:

Two people infected with West Nile virus, others showing signs, Fresno health department says

Fresno Bee

Two people have tested positive for the West Nile virus in Fresno County. 

Tainted bottled water still on sale despite health warnings

Business Journal

New Hampshire and Massachusetts have recommended the public not drink water bottled by Spring Hill Farm Dairy in Haverhill, Massachusetts after the products were found to contain high levels of PFAS chemicals.

Tech boom in fertility apps aids women struggling to get pregnant

San Francisco Chronicle

We’ve seen apps for just about everything from hailing a ride to ordering up a boyfriend, but not a lot has been available in the area of women’s fertility. But perhaps the time has come.

US plan to allow prescription drugs from Canada

AP News

The drug industry lobby says the Trump administration’s plan to let Americans import cheaper prescription drugs from Canada is “far too dangerous.”

The CBD craze is getting out of hand. The FDA needs to act.

Washington Post

Cannabidiol — better known as CBD — is everywhere, from small specialty shops to large national retail chains. It can be found in foods, supplements, drugs, oils, creams, pet foods and more, and sellers purport that the compound treats everything from cancer to depression. Analysts say the market could surpass $20 billion by 2024.

Human Services:

Democrats favor building on ACA over ‘Medicare for All’

Fresno Bee

Most Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents would prefer to expand the Affordable Care Act rather than replace it with a “Medicare for All” plan, according to a new tracking poll from the Kaiser Family Foundation.

Helping Valley people manage the cost of insulin

Modesto Bee

Middle-class families are being devastated by the staggering cost of life-saving insulin. While the average person spends about $1,025 per year on medication, many people with diabetes who use insulin are often required by their health insurance plans to spend five times that amount on a treatment they cannot live without. 

United Health Centers increases minimum wage

Hanford Sentinel

United Health Centers of the San Joaquin Valley held a press conference Friday in the main lobby of its new Administration Headquarters Building in Fresno to announce a significant wage increase for its employees.

Over 80,000 Kaiser Permanente workers begin vote to authorize a strike 

San Jose Mercury

The employees — ranging from registered nurses and X-ray technicians to phone operators and janitors –are seeking higher wages that can support middle-class families, preservation of existing healthcare benefits and an assurance of adequate staffing. 

Bedbugs spread from workplace to home for employees of Kern County Human Services

Bakersfield Californian

Bedbugs have apparently spread from a call center operated by the Kern County Department of Human Services to the homes of the department’s employees.

Community Medical Centers/UCSF Fresno create welcoming atmosphere

Business Journal

In order to promote a more diverse and welcoming environment, Community Medical Centers has been making extended efforts to stress inclusivity for LGBTQ staff and patients.

US fertility rate falls to record low

Business Journal

A new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report says the nation’s general fertility rate dropped to an all-time low last year.

Where Does Biden Stand On Cancer Screening?

Wall Street Journal

Reversing Obama-era restrictions could save many thousands of lives.

COMMUNITY VOICES: The (preventable) public health disaster that is looming over California

Bakersfield Californian

Millions of Californians who depend on life-saving medications are now facing the threat of seeing their access to health care cut off. It’s a looming disaster that comes from new Medi-Cal reimbursement rules drafted by state bureaucrats in Sacramento, under former Gov. Jerry Brown’s administration. 

IMMIGRATION

ACLU: 911 children split at border since 2018 court order

Fresno Bee

More than 900 children, including babies and toddlers, were separated from their parents at the border in the year after a judge ordered the practice be sharply curtailed, the American Civil Liberties Union said Tuesday in a legal attack that will invite more scrutiny of the Trump administration’s widely criticized tactics.

See also:

Migrant Detention Centers — In Contrast To Audits

California Health Line

For the past year, the tiny Maryland company employed by the federal government to inspect U.S. immigration detention centers has painted a rosy picture of life in captivity.

New Immigration Pact Likely to Spur More Single Migrants to U.S. Border

Wall Street Journal

Individuals from Honduras and El Salvador, especially men, are increasingly expected to try to enter undetected following the U.S.-Guatemala deal.

See also:

Trump’s Bad Immigration Math

Wall Street Journal

‘In absentia’ rates grossly overstate asylum-seekers’ propensity to skip court.

LAND USE/HOUSING

Land Use:

This new Clovis restaurant is open. See what other restaurants are coming to that corner

Fresno Bee

The new Huckleberry’s Breakfast & Lunch in Clovis is open. The restaurant took over the former Carrows Restaurant in Clovis and opened Monday. The new owners have spent months remodeling the space.

Taking it to the Streets looks to bring art, design, and food to the community

Clovis Round Up

Centralized in the Old Town Clovis Centennial Plaza area, “Taking it to the Streets 2019” is looking to bring a mixture of amateur.

Opponent of nation’s public lands is picked to oversee them

PBS

A conservative lawyer and writer who argues for selling off the nation’s public lands is now in charge of a nearly quarter-billion acres in federally held rangeland and other wilderness.

Housing:

US home prices climbed just 2.4% from a year ago

Fresno Bee

U.S home prices rose at a slower pace in May, a sign that many would-be buyers are finding properties unaffordable.

‘Can’t afford to move, can’t afford to stay’: Spike in housing costs has many stuck

Modesto Bee

Four years ago, Elizabeth and her fiance were paying $650 a month for a studio apartment in a nice complex in Modesto.

Tule River Housing Authority receives huge housing grant

Porterville Recorder

The Tule River Indian Housing Authority and its partner, Self Help Enterprises has received a grant of more than $1.1 million annually for  each of 10 years to develop affordable housing.

Housing affordability crisis spreads to the Midwest and other lower-cost areas

Los AngelesTimes

Low mortgage rates and thriving employment should be the recipe for a strong housing market. Instead, they’re deepening America’s affordability crisis.

Bakersfield businesses using classical music, opera and ABBA to combat panhandling, loitering

Bakersfield Californian

With apologies to Bach, Beethoven and Brahms, classical music is being used by more local retailers in Bakersfield as a repellent, a tool to dissuade  panhandlers and loiterers outside their stores. Rite Aid is one of those retailers.

Homeless

Can California Force Homeless People Into Shelters? Civil Rights Groups Call Plan Legally Questionable.

Capital Public Radio

Could California force homeless people to accept shelter space against their will?  No legislation has been proposed yet. But two civil rights groups say that such a law would be bad policy and potentially violate a person’s Constitutional rights. 

PUBLIC FINANCES

California Lottery earns $7 billion a year. But are schools getting a fair share?

Fresno Bee

The state Legislature has added another audit to the list of investigations into the California State Lottery, this one based on questions over whether the agency is giving enough money to schools as required by state law.

Budget Decider: Making choices that impact millions

CALmatters

California lawmakers have passed a $215 billion budget filled with progressive eye-catchers. But what if you had the awesome power to tax and spend, charting a new course for California?

Trump Administration Is Divided Over Tax Cut for Investors

New York Times

Trump administration officials are divided over whether to give investors a big tax cut that would primarily benefit the rich before the 2020 election heats up in earnest.

Hiltzik: Incredibly, GOP senators are demanding billions more in tax cuts for the rich

Los Angeles Times

The adage “Give ’em an inch and they’ll take a mile” doesn’t apply anymore in our modern age. Today, it’s better to say, “Give the rich trillions of dollars in tax cuts, and they’ll demand hundreds of billions more.”

Fed Readies First Interest-Rate Cut Since 2008

Wall Street Journal

Global growth, trade uncertainty and low inflation forced turnabout after four rate increases last year.

Stossel: Taxpayers Lose When the Government Gives Out ‘Free’ Stuff

Reason.com

Never before have presidential candidates offered so many giveaways.

TRANSPORTATION

In blow to bullet train, California might shift billions to Bay Area, LA projects

Stockton Record

Key California lawmakers have devised a plan to shift billions of dollars from the Central Valley bullet train to rail projects in Southern California and the Bay Area, a strategy that could crush the dreams of high-speed rail purists.

Caltrans unveils three-year, $370 million highway construction project

Sacramento Bee

The California Department of Transportation held a ceremony Tuesday commencing the start of a $370 million plan to help reconstruct Interstate 5, according to a release from the department. 

Trump Administration Poised To Relax Trucking Safety Rules Despite Warnings

Capital Public Radio

Truck drivers complain that strict “hours of service” rules waste time and slow shipping. The Trump administration is poised to relax them, despite warnings from safety advocates about crashes.

(Audio) Local Groups Ready Rail Plans As California Considers Shift In Bullet Train Funds

KPCC

California is considering diverting funds from the Central Valley bullet train to other local rail projects. 

(Audio) Phil Matier: California’s High Speed Rail Project Continues To Go Off Track

KCBS Radio

Instead of focusing on high speed rail, state lawmakers are proposing a plan that would divert some of its funding to rail improvements here in the Bay Area and Southern California.

Regulators Found High Risk of Emergency After First Boeing MAX Crash

Wall Street Journal

An FAA analysis found it ‘didn’t take that much’ for a malfunction like the one confronted by the plane’s pilots.

Opinion: A high-speed train gets us the future we want, and need

Fresno Bee

The day can’t come quickly enough when I can pedal an electric bike share to downtown San Francisco in 10 minutes, step seamlessly onto a high-speed train and get to my meetings in downtown Los Angeles a few hours later, and do it 100 percent emissions free. It would completely transform the experience of traveling between California’s two major metropolitan areas, presenting a once-in-a-generation opportunity to address California’s sustainable development, housing and climate goals.

Editorial: How much responsibility do scooter companies have for the bad behavior of their users? A lot

Los Angeles Times

Forget about presidential politics. The most controversial and divisive issue in Los Angeles these days may be scooters.

WATER

Expanding Our Underground Water Savings Account

Sustainable Conservation

Our Golden State’s future depends on a reliable water supply for our environment, farms, and communities. But a changing climate is reducing our snow pack and causing more extreme – and frequent – floods and droughts. To adapt, we need new strategies to capture water when and where it’s available. That way, we have stores in waiting when dry times inevitably return – and return they will. 

“Xtra”

Remember MoviePass? Regal is launching its own unlimited movie subscription

Fresno Bee

Almost exactly a year after the dramatic downfall of the much beloved — yet highly dysfunctional— subscription service MoviePass, Regal is betting big on a replacement that would potentially have more theatergoers packing screenings.

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Month of July one of the busiest for Valley animal shelters

abc30

Every month Fresno Humane Animal Services takes in more than 400 stray animals. Each July that number increases. The result is a crowded shelter.

Kern County Library to forgive fees during month of August in amnesty program

Bakersfield Californian

Do you have any fees owed to the Kern County Library? You could be in luck. In August, the county’s library system is beginning its first ever “amnesty month,” 31 days of fee forgiveness and guilt-free returns for many Kern residents.

A black moon will rise Wednesday night. What is that, and what will you be able to see?

Modesto Bee

A black moon will rise on July 31 in North America, the second new moon of the month. Here’s what a black moon is & why you won’t see it. It will be a good night to watch the sky for meteor showers and stars.