25Jul

POLICY & POLITICS

North SJ Valley:

City of Stockton welcomes three new directors to economic development, human resources and fire departments

Stockton Record

The newcomers are Economic Development director Carrie Wright, Human Resources director Robert Bonner and interim Fire Chief Dave Rudat.

‘Straight Pride’ event planned for Modesto draws protests before permit even issued

Modesto Bee

Organizers say it will be a “celebration of life” that includes promoting heterosexuality, traditional gender roles and the group’s ideals of Western civilization, Christianity and patriotism.

Central SJ Valley:

‘We’ve been neglectful, and it’s outrageous.’ Newsom signs clean water bill in Fresno County

Fresno Bee

Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday signed into law the Safe and Affordable Drinking Water Fund bill in the tiny Fresno County community of Tombstone Territory — where residents rely on bottled water because the water from their private wells is contaminated.

● California Governor Signs Bill To Clean Up Drinking Water Capital Public Radio

● Gov. Gavin Newsom signs $1 billion clean-water package for poor areas San Francisco Chronicle

● Schnur: All Californians should have safe, clean water. But How? Fresno Bee

● Gov. Newsom in Valley to sign water bill Business Journal

● The Crisis Lurking in Californians’ Taps: How 1,000 Water Systems May Be at Risk New York Times

Fresno’s Amazon warehouse marks debut, showcasing robots, jobs and 200M items shipped

Fresno Bee

Online retail giant Amazon opened its Fresno order-filling warehouse nearly 14 months ago. But the company known for speed in getting all kinds of products into the hands of its customers is just now getting around to celebrating the grand opening of the center.

● Exclusive look inside Amazon’s southwest Fresno fulfillment center, company announces large donation to Fresno Unified abc30

Rumors swirl around Devin Nunes getting top Trump administration job

Visalia Times Delta

Will Rep. Devin Nunes’ strong support of President Trump land the Tulare native the country’s top intelligence job? That’s what Politico is reporting in a story posted Monday about the Director of National Intelligence job.

Watch: Nunes calls Mueller hearing ‘political theater’ PBS NewsHour

● Warszawski: Rep. Devin Nunes has crazy conspiracy theories. At Mueller hearing, whole country heard them Fresno Bee

South SJ Valley:

Bakersfield receives an F on most educated cities list, but improvements might be in the future

Bakersfield Californian

For years, Bakersfield has found itself on lists ranked as one of the least educated cities in the country, but local educational leaders think some extra credit opportunities will improve the city’s ranking in the future.

Governor promises balanced approach after touring McKittrick-area oil leak

Bakersfield Californian

Gov. Gavin Newsom, speaking with reporters in western Kern after a tour of California’s largest oil spill in years, withheld judgment on the incident Wednesday and said he must balance the state’s low-carbon future with the needs of communities economically dependent on petroleum production.

● California governor encouraged by oil spill cleanup effort Associated Press

SF to shut down 82 oil wells on Kern County property

San Francisco Examiner

‘Keep It in the Ground’ legislation prohibits the extraction of oil, gas and minerals from city land.

State:

Gavin Newsom asks for timeout in PG&E takeover fight war. CA bankruptcy judge agrees

Fresno Bee

With a feeding frenzy heating up, Gov. Gavin Newsom persuaded a bankruptcy judge Wednesday to postpone the bidding war for PG&E Corp. so state officials can sort out competing proposals.

See also:

● California gets time to consider bids to take over PG&E Bakersfield Californian

California DMV turns away thousands of customers as offices close for training

Fresno Bee

Thousands of customers across California were turned away when they visited the Department of Motor Vehicles on Wednesday, according to estimates from a “strike team” Gov. Gavin Newsom appointed in January.

● California DMV to close offices statewide for half-day to re-train employees on customer service skills abc30

● California DMV gets makeover designed to tackle long lines, faulty computer systems Visalia Times Delta

● Gov. Newsom’s fate rides on Steve Gordon’s shoulders. Can he fix the DMV? Sacramento Bee

● Walters: Newsom now owns DMV’s woes CALmatters

● Fox: DMV Report Shows Legislature’s Actions Added to the Agency’s Problems Fox & Hounds

Not enough Latinos and women are applying to draw new California political districts

Sacramento Bee

Latinos, Asian Americans and women are underrepresented among applicants for the 2020 commission that will draw California congressional lines.

Motivating Californians to Fill Out the 2020 Census

PPIC

The 2020 Census will determine the distribution of billions of dollars in federal funds and the accuracy of political representation at the local, state, and federal levels. Emphasizing the benefits to local communities is likely the best way to encourage participation and counteract the concerns many Californians have about confidentiality.

State Insurance Commissioner Defends Intervening in Cases Involving His Donors

KQED

State Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara defended himself on Wednesday against allegations that he improperly intervened in cases involving companies linked to donors to his 2020 campaign.

This tea party charity sends care packages to troops. California says it misspent funds

Los Angeles Times

The lawsuit by California Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra, a Democrat, accuses the charity Move America Forward and its co-founders, including former Republican Assemblyman Howard Kaloogian and Sal Russo, of misspending resources from the charity, with some going to for-profit firms and other funds going to promote the Tea Party Express and political candidates. Russo is also co-founder of the Tea Party Express, a political entity that occupied office space provided at no charge by the charity. Russo, who started out working for then-California Gov. Ronald Reagan, angrily disputed the allegations and accused Becerra of a political stunt aimed at hurting the Tea Party. (Note: Sal Russo is a member of the Maddy Institute Board of Directors)

· Attorney General Becerra Announces Lawsuit Against Move America Forward for Operating a Misleading Solicitations Scheme State of California Department of Justice

Federal:

Trump Administration proposal would cut millions of people from food stamp program

abc30

The U.S. Department of Agriculture in a press release on Tuesday said the move closes a “loophole,” and said that the program should provide benefits “with consistency and integrity to those most in need.”

● Trump Administration proposed cuts to SNAP could lead to hunger for area residents. Modesto Bee

Mueller testimony: Special counsel questioned about Trump, Russia investigation

abc30

Robert Mueller on Wednesday bluntly dismissed President Donald Trump’s claims of total exoneration in the federal probe of Russia’s 2016 election interference, telling Congress he explicitly did not clear the president of obstructing his investigation.

● The Latest: House GOP says it’s time to move on from probe Fresno Bee

● Key Takeaways From Mueller’s Testimony Before The House Intelligence Committee KVPR

● Mueller On Russian Election Interference: ‘They’re Doing It As We Sit Here’ KVPR

● Mueller testimony brings ‘new phase’ but no smoking gun for Democrats San Francisco Chronicle

● Mueller’s testimony seems unlikely to boost impeachment — but could vindicate Pelosi Los Angeles Times

● ‘A New Legal Argument for Impeachment’ Politico

● Mueller sounds alarm on Russian meddling. So what has Congress done about it? Roll Call

● Fact-check: How House members exaggerated facts in questioning Robert Mueller Politifact

● Trump calls Mueller’s testimony a ‘disaster’ for Democrats after former special counsel offers sharp criticism of president Washington Post

● Democrats’ star witness was no star: 6 takeaways and analysis from Mueller’s highly anticipated testimony Washington Post

● M ueller says he declined to subpoena Trump because he knew the president would fight it and prolong the Russia probe Washington Post

● Mueller on Trump’s past praise for WikiLeaks: ‘Problematic is an understatement’ Washington Post

● Robert Mueller: Donald Trump Could Be Charged with Obstruction after Leaving Office National Review

● EDITORIAL: Mueller said Trump wasn’t exonerated but left a key question unanswered Los Angeles Times

● EDITORIAL: Robert Mueller’s dry, damning testimony San Francisco Chronicle

Trump vetoes Congress’ efforts to block Saudi arms sales

Los Angeles Times

President Trump on Wednesday vetoed a trio of congressional resolutions aimed at blocking his administration from bypassing Congress and selling billions of dollars in weapons and maintenance support to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

Fox Poll: 56% say telling minorities to ‘go back’ is racist

The Hill

The Fox News poll released Wednesday found that 56% of respondents believe telling people of color to “go back” is racist, while 23% said it is not and 18% said it depends.

Elections 2020:

Congressmen Costa & Cox To Face Strong Contenders In 2020 Election

KVPR

Fresno City Councilmember Esmeralda Soria says she’s running against Democratic Rep. Jim Costa for the state’s 16th Congressional District. Meanwhile David Valadao filed yesterday to run against Democratic Rep. TJ Cox.

What Do 2020 Democratic Candidates Propose On Strengthening Election Security

NPR

The warnings from national security leaders in Washington have been clear: the danger of foreign election interference isn’t going away.

Why Facebook should fear a Democratic win in 2020

Politico

When the Federal Trade Commission delivered its $5 billion privacy settlement with Facebook, the agency’s leaders were harsh: “Facebook betrayed the trust of its users,” Chairman Joe Simons told reporters Wednesday. The company had engaged in “deceptive practices” and let profits shape its handling of millions of people’s data, he and two fellow commissioners charged. And those were just the agency’s Republicans.

Stoke the Base or Woo Swing Voters? Campaigns Weigh Benefits

Wall Street Journal

In a polarized nation, most Americans are committed to one party but persuadable voters represent 15% or 20% of electorate.

Joe Biden tears into Cory Booker and criticizes Kamala D. Harris as well in a shift to aggressively counter his challengers

Washington Post

Former vice president Joe Biden took aim at his critics in the presidential field Wednesday, scoring Sen. Cory Booker’s record and Sen. Kamala D. Harris’s policy positions in a bracing new offensive that signaled a more aggressive stance heading into next week’s presidential debate.

New data makes it clear: Nonvoters handed Trump the presidency

Washington Post

Most of our assessments of the electorate in 2016 are dependent on estimates. Polling before the election that suggested where people were leaning; exit polling after the fact that gives us some sense of who actually turned out. When more than 137 million people vote, understanding exactly who they were and why they voted the way they did necessarily involves some guesswork.

Other:

Congressman McCarthy: Remembering the contributions made in Kern desert to Apollo 11 mission

Bakersfield Observed

The spotlight of the Apollo era goes to the Apollo 11 flight crew who risked their lives embarking on the journey to the moon. Less known are the men and women who worked behind the scenes to make the Apollo Program a success.

FTC To Hold Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg Liable For Any Future Privacy Violations

KVPR

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg will have to personally answer to federal regulators under an agreement to settle a privacy case with the Federal Trade Commission that includes a $5 billion penalty for the giant social media company, the agency announced Wednesday.

● Content moderators at YouTube, Facebook and Twitter see the worst of the web and suffer silently Washington Post

MADDY INSTITUTE PUBLIC POLICY PROGRAMMING

Sunday, July 28, at 10 a.m. on ABC30 – Maddy Report: “Protecting Students from Active Shooters: Are Schools Making the Grade?” – Guest: California State Auditor, Elaine Howle. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.

Sunday, July 28, at 10 a.m. on Newstalk 580AM/105.9FM (KMJ) –Maddy Report – Valley Views Edition: “Campus Shootings: Are Local Schools Prepared?” – Guests: Doug Collins with the Merced City School District and Steve France with the Clovis Unified School District. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.

Sunday, July 28, at 7:30 a.m. on UniMas 61 (KTTF) – El Informe Maddy: “Fresno Bridge Academy: A Model to Replicate Statewide” – Guests: Pete Weber, Fundador y Dir. Junta Directiva de Fresno Bridge Academy & Arasely Linares, Directora de Programas de Reading and Beyond. Host: Maddy Institute Program Coordinator, Maria Jeans.

AGRICULTURE/FOOD

Trump Administration proposal would cut millions of people from food stamp program

abc30

● Trump Administration proposed cuts to SNAP could lead to hunger for area residents. Modesto Bee

Ag seminar for teachers wows participants

Bakersfield Californian

Bakersfield teacher Scott Haner admits he was at one time mostly ignorant about the burgeoning agriculture that surrounds his city in every direction.

USDA Sets Plans for $16 Billion in New Aid to Farmers

WSJ

Fresh support for agricultural sector follows stalled U.S.-China trade talks.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE / FIRE / PUBLIC SAFETY

Crime:

BPD to host training on keeping drugs, illegal activity out of rental properties

Bakersfield Californian

The Crime Free Multi-Housing training is designed to serve as a partnership between law enforcement and rental property owners, managers and tenants. BPD said neighborhoods suffer and landlords pay a high price when crime and drugs operate out of rental properties.

Justice Department plans to restart capital punishment after long hiatus, orders executions of five inmates

Washington Post

The Justice Department announced Thursday that it would resume executing prisoners awaiting the death penalty, ending almost two decades in which the federal government had not imposed capital punishment on prisoners.

Lie Detector Tests Have Nothing to Do With the Truth

Zocalo Public Square

Federal agencies embraced the polygraph in the 1950s to reassure the public that they could unmask spies.

Public Safety:

Text 911 now available in Kings County

Hanford Sentinel

The Kings County Sheriff’s Office and State Emergency Communications 911 officials have announced that the Kings County Sheriff’s Office dispatch center is now equipped to receive and respond to mobile phone SMS text messages sent to 911, effective immediately.

National Research Collaborative on Gun Violence Awards Nearly $10 Million in Grants

National Collaborative on Gun Violence Research

Diverse Projects To Explore Suicide, Youth Violence, Officer-Involved Shootings; Expand and Improve Firearm Data Sets.

Salinas police don traditional Mexican charro suit to connect with Latinos they serve

The Californian

On the last day of the California Rodeo Salinas Sunday, Police Officer Robert Hernandez’s parents went to see him on duty.

Fire:

Where will the West’s next deadly wildfire strike? The risks are everywhere

Visalia Times Delta

Of small communities across 11 states, more than 500 have a higher wildfire hazard potential than Paradise, California.

ECONOMY / JOBS

Economy:

Fresno’s Amazon warehouse marks debut, showcasing robots, jobs and 200M items shipped

Fresno Bee

● Exclusive look inside Amazon’s southwest Fresno fulfillment center, company announces large donation to Fresno Unified abc30

Look out, Starbucks. Another popular coffee chain planning first Fresno location

Fresno Bee

Fresno is getting its first The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf. The coffee shop has signed a lease to open a location at Park Crossing, the north Fresno shopping center that’s home to the new Trader Joe’s.

This national discount chain on a massive expansion streak is heading for Fresno

Fresno Bee

Five Below is a store aimed at teens and tweens (and their parents) where everything costs $5 or less. One store plans to open at Fashion Fair mall, in the former Charming Charlie, a jewelry and accessories store that closed June 22.

You can now file a claim for part of the $700M Equifax data breach settlement. Here’s how

Sacramento Bee

The data breach from mid-May through July 2017 exposed customer names, Social Security numbers, birth dates, addresses and some driver’s license numbers. It’s estimated to have affected 147 million people. That’s nearly 45 percent of the U.S. population.

U.S. Economic Growth Seen Stumbling as Trade Weighs on Business

Bloomberg

Trade tensions likely helped push down U.S. economic growth last quarter to match the slowest pace of Donald Trump’s presidency, with a robust consumer keeping things from looking even worse.

Jobs:

Pier 1 Imports plans to close 57 stores, and more closures could be coming, interim CEO says

Visalia Times Delta

While no list has been provided, workers at the Visalia store speculated the Visalia store would close around the holidays. They couldn’t provide further details.

Milan Institute struggles to make payroll while employees scramble to pay bills

Visalia Times Delta

In an email sent on July 10, company President Gary Yasuda informed employees they would only be paid the federal minimum wage — $7.25 — for hours worked in their July 12 paycheck because the U.S. Department of Education had withheld funds from the company.

EDUCATION

K-12:

Bakersfield receives an F on most educated cities list, but improvements might be in the future

Bakersfield Californian

‘Home-school charters’ let families use state dollars for Disneyland, horseback riding lessons and more

Los Angeles Times

There are a handful of charter schools that give students’ families as much as $2,800 to $3,200 — tax dollars sent to the charter schools — every year to spend on anything they want from a list of thousands of home-school vendors approved by the charters.

Dissent within statewide task force adds tension to California’s charter school debate

EdSource

Sitting on Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk is a document that has added fuel to the roiling debate over legislation that would limit the growth of charter schools in California.

Principal and Teacher Preparation to Support the Needs of Diverse Students

RAND

National findings from the American Educator panels.

Who Plays, Who Pays?

RAND

Funding for and access to youth sports.

Higher Ed:

UC Merced student discovers giant dinosaur skull. It’s 65 million years old

Fresno Bee

A UC Merced student obsessed with dinosaurs since he was little, recently uncovered a 65 million-year-old Triceratops skull while digging in North Dakota, the university said Wednesday.

● UC Merced student unearths 65 million-year-old Triceratops skull CNN

You’ve Heard of Berkeley. Is Merced the Future of the University of California?

New York Times

As he walks to class at the University of California, Merced, Freddie Virgen sees a sea of faces in various shades of brown. He is as likely to hear banda corridos blaring out of his classmates’ earphones as hip-hop. With affectionate embraces, he greets fellow members of Hermanos Unidos, a peer support group for Latinos that is one of the largest student organizations on campus.

Union representing 15,000 UC workers stages rallies statewide as negotiations stall again

Fresno Bee

The union representing 15,000 health, research and technical workers at the University of California staged protests statewide Wednesday, including in Sacramento and Davis, after another round of contract negotiations failed to produce an agreement.

Seeking common ground on the Higher Education Act

The Hill

Even as Congress wrestles with the long-overdue reauthorization of the Higher Education Act, it turns out there is plenty of common ground to be found.

Preparing Higher Ed for the Next Recession

EdNote

While the economy is currently strong, conversations are already beginning about when the tides may turn. Survey data indicates that millions of Americans believe a recession is looming, and some business economists believe a recession is possible before the next presidential election. Higher education’s relationship with the economy is counter-cyclical.

Career Pathways and Economic Mobility at California’s Community Colleges

PPIC

Career education programs in California’s community colleges are a critical component of public higher education in the state. Also known as career technical or vocational programs, career education trains individuals for middle-skill jobs that require more than a high school diploma but less than a four-year degree. These jobs make up a third of California’s labor market today and are projected to make up a similar share in the future.

West Hills College Lemoore to offer veteran workshops

Hanford Sentinel

Local veterans can get a refresher on math, computer basics, writing tips and more at West Hills College Lemoore’s Veteran’s Get Strong Academy starting July 29.

ENVIRONMENT/ ENERGY

Environment:

Squirrel monkey ‘haven’ to open in Galt, sparing former research primates from euthanasia

Fresno Bee

Galt will soon be home to dozens of squirrel monkeys, after Sacramento County recently approved a private nonprofit facility to house primates that have been retired from laboratory research.

Earth warmed faster in the last few decades than the previous 1,900 years, study says

Los Angeles Times

It’s not just humans who track long-term trends in the weather. The history of our planet’s climate is recorded by nature herself — written in tree rings and arctic ices, corals and deep ocean sediments.

Energy:

SF to shut down 82 oil wells on Kern County property

San Francisco Examiner

‘Keep It in the Ground’ legislation prohibits the extraction of oil, gas and minerals from city land.

HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES

Health:

As the nation’s opioid crisis grew, the pills got stronger

Fresno Bee

In 2012, as the death toll from the nation’s opioid crisis mounted, drug companies shipped out enough of the powerful and addictive painkillers for every man, woman and child in the U.S. to have nearly a 20-day supply.

Allergan recalls textured breast implant tied to rare cancer

abc30

Breast implant maker Allergan Inc. issued a worldwide recall Wednesday for certain textured models after regulators alerted the company to a heightened cancer risk with the devices.

GOP can’t agree on the government’s role in forcing down drug prices

Washington Post

Ambitious new legislation unfurled on Capitol Hill this week could give President Trump the political “win” on drug prices he’s seeking.

Human Services:

Mental health stigma persists among Fresno’s Southeast Asians. How new center can help

Fresno Bee

Chongge S. Vang hit rock bottom after losing his wife last November. He felt very lonely and didn’t understand why he was still alive.

West Nile disease strikes in Stanislaus County. Here’s what you need to know

Modesto Bee

Stanislaus County health officials have reported a serious case of west Nile illness as prime conditions for the virus.

Health Department to search for airborne valley fever DNA in cutting-edge study

Bakersfield Californian

Many fundamental questions about valley fever remain a mystery, but if a new study by the Kern County Public Health Services Department is successful, one may soon have an answer.

Hiltzik: New data show that failing to expand Medicaid has led to 16,000 unnecessary deaths

Los Angeles Times

Adversaries of Medicaid expansion have always pointed to the lack of evidence that enrollment in Medicaid improves health and saves lives, and therefore the expansion is a waste.

When can nursing homes make decisions for ‘incapacitated’ residents? California court weighs in

Sacramento Bee

A California appeals court considered this case on Monday when confronting the difficult questions of under what circumstances and how nursing homes can make medical decisions for residents deemed mentally incapacitated.

California’s small business owners cannot afford health care. Here are ways to help

CALmatters

Alma Beltran owns a successful small business, but that doesn’t mean she can afford healthcare for herself and her family.

IMMIGRATION

Judge blocks Trump asylum restrictions at US-Mexico border

Fresno Bee

A federal judge on Wednesday ordered the Trump administration to stop denying asylum to anyone who transits through another country to reach the U.S. border, marking the latest legal defeat for a president waging an all-out battle to stem the flow of migrants entering from Mexico.

● U.S. District judge in San Francisco halts Trump’s asylum ban — for now San Francisco Chronicle

● Trump’s third-country asylum ban halted temporarily by California judge Politico

ICE releases US-born citizen wrongfully detained near border for 3 weeks

abc30

A U.S.-born 18-year-old has been released from immigration custody after wrongfully being detained for more than three weeks.

Federal Ruling Could Toss Hundreds Of ‘Improper’ Immigrant Convictions

KPBS

A federal court issued a ruling on Wednesday that could throw out hundreds of convictions in the past year from San Diego. Since last July, many migrants caught crossing the border illegally were sent here to federal court, where they were charged and convicted in mass hearings, as part of a federal prosecution program known as “Operation Streamline.”

Japanese Americans survived internment in WWII. Now they protest migrant detentions at border

Sacramento Bee

Christine Umeda, 81, has been plagued by the same recurring nightmare for most of her adult life.

Mexico To Open Shelter For Migrants Returned From US

Associated Press

Mexican officials say they are set to open a huge shelter in the border city of Tijuana to hold thousands of migrants being returned to await hearings on their U.S. asylum requests. Mexico has accepted over 20,000 Central Americans under the plan known as “migrant protection protocol” or “Remain in Mexico.”

LAND USE/HOUSING

Land Use:

New Walmart Supercenter approved for construction

Porterville Recorder

After years of anticipated construction, the Walmart Supercenter store has finally been approved to begin building in the Riverwalk Marketplace on Jaye Street off of Highway 190.

Cities With Good Public Transit Lure New Startups – CityLab

CityLab

A new study finds that new business startups are choosing cities with good public transportation options over the traditional suburban locations.

Next level urban mobility: connected, electric, and a mix of solutions

URBAN HUB

Three main elements characterize most new urban public transportation solutions: more on-demand transport, the highly-effective use of digital innovation, and more electric-powered options. And all of these solutions need a well-rounded concept that covers the “last-mile” to exploit every level of the urban environment.

San Francisco Has Never Been More Pathetic—or More Powerful

Zocalo Public Square

Vilified by Both Conservatives and Progressives, This Poor Little Rich City’s Problems Are Now National News.

Housing:

US new home sales rise 7% in June after 2 months of decline

Fresno Bee

U.S. new home sales rose at a modest pace in June but remained below sales levels earlier this year, suggesting low mortgage rates and a healthy job market aren’t encouraging many more purchases.

PUBLIC FINANCES

Jerry Brown, his eye still on pensions, endorses candidate in CalPERS board election

Sacramento Bee

Former Gov. Jerry Brown is jumping into the CalPERS Board of Administration election with an endorsement of incumbent Henry Jones.

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?

The big federal budget deal is no big deal

Brookings

The two-year budget deal announced by congressional leaders from both parties this week would do nothing to address America’s long-term fiscal problems—but it wouldn’t make them worse either, William Gale and Aaron Krupkin explain.

Improve, Don’t Repeal, ObamaCare’s Cadillac Tax

Wall Street Journal

It’s the law’s least popular provision, but its goal of discouraging lavish employer plans is worthy.

TRANSPORTATION

Major automakers secretly negotiated a climate deal with California, rebuffing Trump administration on proposed gas mileage freeze

Washington Post

The compromise to produce vehicle fleets averaging nearly 51 mpg by model year 2026 came after weeks of secret negotiations between the California Air Resources Board and Ford Motor Co., Honda, Volkswagen AG and BMW.

California DMV turns away thousands of customers as offices close for training

Fresno Bee

● California DMV to close offices statewide for half-day to re-train employees on customer service skills abc30

● California DMV gets makeover designed to tackle long lines, faulty computer systems Visalia Times Delta

● Walters: Newsom now owns DMV’s woes CALmatters

● Fox: DMV Report Shows Legislature’s Actions Added to the Agency’s Problems Fox & Hounds

Scooters can help Sacramento’s traffic and air. Are you riding them correctly?

Sacramento Bee

As 2,000 shared bike and scooters prepare to swarm Sacramento this summer, public safety on the streets has become a priority for riders.

Cities With Good Public Transit Lure New Startups – CityLab

CityLab

A new study finds that new business startups are choosing cities with good public transportation options over the traditional suburban locations.

Next level urban mobility: connected, electric, and a mix of solutions

URBAN HUB

WATER

‘We’ve been neglectful, and it’s outrageous.’ Newsom signs clean water bill in Fresno County

Fresno Bee

● California Governor Signs Bill To Clean Up Drinking Water Capital Public Radio

● Gov. Gavin Newsom signs $1 billion clean-water package for poor areas San Francisco Chronicle

● Schnur: All Californians should have safe, clean water. But How? Fresno Bee

● Gov. Newsom in Valley to sign water bill Business Journal

● The Crisis Lurking in Californians’ Taps: How 1,000 Water Systems May Be at Risk New York Times

“Xtra”

Enjoy water, wealth, contentment, beer at new Modesto craft brewery open near MJC

Modesto Bee

Sitting in the shadow of the grain silos behind Modesto Junior College, the brewery-taproom has an intentionally industrial feel, an homage to Modesto’s agriculture and manufacturing roots.

‘Three chords and the truth.’ Ken Burns brings PBS documentary ‘Country Music’ to Fresno

Fresno Bee

The film maker will be in town to screen his latest documentary, “Country Music.”

Tickets to this Good Company show are going fast. Here’s why the play is so popular

Fresno Bee

Ticket to see Good Company Player’s staging of “Calamity Jane” have been selling well.