POLICY & POLITICS
California’s long-overlooked Central Valley holds new allure for 2020 candidates
Los Angeles Times
California’s interior is a destination, not a pass-through. Three Democrats — Buttigieg, former Texas Rep. Beto O’Rourke and former U.S. Housing Secretary Julián Castro — have campaigned in the valley so far, leaving some residents giddy at the unusual attention.
North SJ Valley:
Should a small town have a weed shop? Stanislaus supervisors will decide the issue
Modesto Bee
A public hearing before the Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors later this month could decide the fate of a cannabis outlet in Denair.
Central SJ Valley:
Pete Buttigieg tells huge Fresno crowd why he supports impeaching President Trump
Fresno Bee
There’s a certain amount of excitement built into a presidential town hall. That was certainly the case with Pete Buttigieg’s stop at Fresno State on Monday.
See also:
● Presidential hopeful Pete Buttigieg: ‘I know what it is to be on the other side of a fence’ Fresno Bee
● Locals hear from Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg at town hall abc30
● Why Fresno? Buttigieg Says It Reminds Him of Home. GV Wire
● Pete Buttigieg Answers ‘Hardball’ Questions In Fresno, Ranging From Tariffs To Foster Care VPR
● Presidential Candidate Pete Buttigieg Says Being Mayor Isn’t That Different From Being President VPR
● Pete Buttigieg tries to diversify his campaign’s support by visiting Fresno San Francisco Chronicle
● Why Does Pete Buttigieg Never Wear a Blazer? WSJ
Senior center, restrooms and Camp Fresno. How does city’s parks budget address them?
Fresno Bee
The Fresno City Council on Monday pledged $1 million toward building a senior center in Fresno – the exact same commitment the council made last year. Approximately 144,000 senior citizens in Fresno still have no dedicated senior center, and they showed up at Monday’s first round of annual city budget hearings venting about it.
See also:
● Council members propose new ideas at Fresno city budget hearing abc30
Fresno police officer contends Dyer retaliated by firing him
Fresno Bee
Gerald Miller says he did his job for 21 years as a Fresno police officer, investigating crimes, arresting suspects, writing reports and backing up fellow officers.
But three months before Miller was eligible to retire, police Chief Jerry Dyer fired him.
See also:
· Police Chief to Mayor. Lessons from Those Who Made the Leap. GV Wire
This candidate says being an ‘extreme moderate’ will help him in Fresno’s mayor race
Fresno Bee
Fresno City Councilmember Luis Chavez said he’s known at City Hall for being an “extreme moderate.”
Racial disparity in cities: The worst metro areas for black Americans (Fresno Ranked 10th Worst)
USA Today
The unemployment rate for black Americans fell below 6 percent for the first time in history earlier this year.
EDITORIAL: Devin Nunes’ cow reveals the location of his secret SLO County fundraiser
Fresno Bee
Devin Nunes’ cow may have spilled the beans. The location of Congressman Nunes’ June 28 “secret fundraiser” in San Luis Obispo County has been outed on the Twitter parody account @DevinCow.
South SJ Valley:
Bakersfield City Council faces ‘In God We Trust’ decision on Wednesday
Bakersfield Californian
The Bakersfield City Council is scheduled to vote on adding “In God We Trust” decals to police vehicles during its meeting Wednesday evening, potentially ending a debate that has sparked much talk over the last several weeks.
State:
California Gov. Gavin Newsom wants his first budget a week early
Fresno Bee
California Gov. Gavin Newsom wants his first budget done a week early, an ambitious goal for wrapping negotiations with the Legislature and getting his $213 billion proposal over the finish line.
Developers and unions “not close” on deal to spur housing construction
CALmatters
In January, two of the biggest adversaries in California housing politics appeared on the verge of detente.
Women approach milestone in California Senate, but imbalance remains
San Francisco Chronicle
With an expected Senate special election victory on Tuesday, the ranks of female political role models will inch higher at the Capitol and an even broader array of issues may gain attention.
‘First Partner’ has the celebrity touch
Capitol Weekly
California’s “First Partner” Jennifer Siebel Newsom is smart, articulate, idealistic — and cautious.
EDITORIAL: Gavin Newsom’s dangerously loose lips
Los Angeles Times
In his first six months as the most powerful figure in state government, Gov. Gavin Newsom has sometimes spoken first — and only later considered the policy implications of his comments.
Federal:
Congress launches Big Tech antitrust probe
Porterville Recorder
The federal government may be warming up its antitrust enforcement machine and pointing it at Big Tech. On Monday, the House Judiciary Committee announced a sweeping antitrust probe of unspecified technology companies.
See also:
● Congress, Enforcement Agencies Target Tech WSJ
● Facebook, Google and other tech giants to face antitrust investigation by House lawmakers Washington Post
Nearly 12 million customers affected by data breach, Quest Diagnostics says
abc30
Nearly 12 million customers of one of the biggest blood testing providers may have had their personal information compromised Quest Diagnostic officials said.
See also:
● Quest Diagnostics patients’ medical data may be compromised in data breach Los Angeles Times
Judge rejects Congress’ challenge of border wall funding
Los Angeles Times
A federal judge on Monday denied a House request to prevent President Trump from tapping Defense Department money for his proposed border wall with Mexico, saying Congress lacked authority to sue.
Blacks, Latinos at risk of undercount in 2020 census
Bakersfield Californian
With the 2020 census count less than a year away, a new report says undercounting certain populations will be likely, despite the best efforts of the U.S. Census Bureau, nonprofits and state and local officials to encourage participation.
See also:
● 2020 Census Could Lead To Worst Undercount Of Black, Latinx People In 30 Years Capital Public Radio
● The GOP’s secret roadmap to undermine the 2020 census Roll Call
● House Dems to hold Barr, Ross in contempt over census question Politico
● House committee to vote on holding attorney general, commerce secretary in contempt over documents on census citizenship question Washington Post
Dems hope Pelosi’s resistance to impeachment will crack in June
Politico
Democrats yearning to remove the president from office are also afraid the politics of the 2020 election will kill the drive for impeachment.
House moves closer to undoing a ban on Dreamers working in government
Roll Call
The House moved one step closer this week towards unlocking civil service jobs for hundreds of thousands of Dreamers.
Elections 2020:
California May Be An Early Primary State Now, But It’s Still Not Getting The Full Iowa Treatment
Capital Public Radio
Fourteen candidates addressed the state Democratic Party convention, and many of them also held other public events and raised money in the state. But they didn’t spend much time talking about California.
See also:
● State Democratic Party Convention Attracts More Than Half The Field Of Presidential Candidates Capital Public Radio
● 14 Democratic presidential candidates give California its Cinderella moment Los Angeles Times
● California Democratic race is wide open, and Elizabeth Warren may be in the top tier San Francisco Chronicle
2020 Democrats grapple with California’s electoral buzz saw
AP News
Democratic presidential candidates are confronting the Democratic National Committee’s tough standards to get on the debate stage, trying to distinguish themselves from their many rivals and plotting how to win the critical four early voting states. That leaves them barely enough time to think about what would come next.
Joe Biden’s $5T climate plan: Net zero emissions by 2050
Fresno Bee
Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden is pitching a $5 trillion-plus climate proposal that he says would lead the U.S. to net zero emission of carbon pollution by 2050.
See also:
● Biden, Inslee, other 2020 Dems tout sweeping initiatives to combat climate change abc30
● Biden proposes $1.7-trillion plan to combat climate change Los Angeles Times
● What Joe Biden Is Revealing About Democrats WSJ
Elizabeth Warren proposes $2 trillion clean energy plan as Green New Deal momentum builds
Washington Post
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) on Tuesday unveiled a proposal to invest $2 trillion in federal funding in clean energy programs as part of a Green New Deal aimed at confronting global climate change, according to her campaign.
Deepfakes, social media, and the 2020 election
Brookings
What happens when you mix easy access to increasingly sophisticated technology for producing deepfake videos, a high-stakes election, and a social media ecosystem built on maximizing views, likes, and shares? America is about to find out, warns John Villasenor.
Other:
Los Angeles Times
Prominent families once were synonymous with the newspapers they owned — the Chandlers, Hearsts, Copleys, Ridders and De Youngs. But most of them long ago gave way to corporate chains. Then the downturn in the print business hit, leaving a dwindling number of papers under family ownership.
Government and health care sectors had most breaches in 2018
Roll Call
Government computer systems — federal, state and local — suffered the most data breaches last year, driven most likely by foreign adversaries conducting espionage operations, according to Verizon’s latest annual report on cyberattacks.
America’s Millennial Baby Bust
WSJ
Profound cultural shifts can’t be overcome by pro-natalist subsidies.
Brooks | The Coming G.O.P. Apocalypse
The New York Times
Stumbling blind into the age of diversity.
George F. Will’s ‘The Conservative Sensibility’
National Review
This week, George F. Will publishes a new book, The Conservative Sensibility. I have done a Q&Awith him, here. His book is a blockbuster — if a book so thoughtful and learned and graceful can be called a “blockbuster” (and I think it can).
EDITORIAL: When Democrats Jeer Democrats
WSJ
Kudos to Delaney and Hickenlooper for telling their party the truth.
MADDY INSTITUTE PUBLIC POLICY PROGRAMMING
Sunday, June 9, at 10 a.m. on ABC30 – Maddy Report: “Immigration: Dreaming in a Sanctuary State” – Guest: Laura Hill with the Public Policy Institute of Calif., Taryn Luna with the Sacramento Bee and Dan Walters with CALmatters. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.
Sunday, June 9, at 10 a.m. on Newstalk 580AM/105.9FM (KMJ) –Maddy Report – Valley Views Edition: “Income Inequality and Immigration: Are They Related?” – Guests: Laura Hill with the Public Policy Institute of Calif., Taryn Luna with the Sacramento Bee, Dan Walters with CALmatters, California Budget Center Policy Analyst Luke Reidenbach, National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) California State Director Tom Scott. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.
Sunday, June 9, at 7:30 a.m. on UniMas 61 (KTTF) – El Informe Maddy: “Immigration: Dreaming in a Sanctuary State” – Guests: Joe Hayes, Investigator PPIC and Liam Dillon with LA Times. Host: Maddy Institute Program Coordinator, Maria Jeans.
AGRICULTURE/FOOD
US farmers face historic delays from flooded fields amid Trump tariffs
abc30
Flooding in the central U.S. is causing historic delays for farmers, who can’t plant corn on wet fields. It comes amid Trump’s trade war with China and Mexico.
See also:
● What Trump’s tariffs may mean for your avocado toast habit Los Angeles Times
● Discussing a two-front trade war AEI
● U.S., China tariff spat stokes worry of prolonged trade war Business Journal
Should a small town have a weed shop? Stanislaus supervisors will decide the issue
Modesto Bee
A public hearing before the Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors later this month could decide the fate of a cannabis outlet in Denair.
Oriental fruit fly eradicated from Sacramento area after quarantine, officials say
Sacramento Bee
The oriental fruit fly has been eradicated from the Sacramento area about nine months after an infestation.
Grimmway takes big step into southeastern U.S. with acquisition of Georgia company
Bakersfield Californian
Bakersfield-based carrots giant Grimmway Farms said Monday it has purchased a Georgia company that will provide the climate, acreage and facilities it needs to expand production near key East Coast markets.
‘American Soil’ Is Increasingly Foreign Owned
NPR
American soil. Those are two words that are commonly used to stir up patriotic feelings. They are also words that can’t be taken for granted, because today nearly 30 million acres of U.S. farmland are held by foreign investors. That number has doubled in the past two decades, which is raising alarm bells in farming communities.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE / FIRE / PUBLIC SAFETY
Crime:
California governor won’t free Manson follower Van Houten
Fresno Bee
California Gov. Gavin Newsom overruled a parole board’s decision to free Charles Manson follower Leslie Van Houten on Monday, marking the third time a governor has stopped the release of the youngest member of Manson’s murderous cult.
See also:
● Gov. Newsom won’t free Manson follower Van Houten abc30
● Newsom denies parole to Charles Manson follower Leslie Van Houten, overruling parole board Los Angeles Times
FBI warns parents ‘sextortion’ cases involving children on the rise
abc30
As the school year across the country winds down, the threat of online predators is on the increase, the FBI said. Specifically, the FBI warns parents that they are seeing in increase in the number of sextortion cases involving minors across the country.
San Joaquin grand jury finds lagging cold case investigations
Sacramento Bee
More than 500 cold criminal cases remain unsolved amid disorganization and a lack of resources to pursue them, the San Joaquin County grand jury said in a report.
Public Safety:
Sheriff Varney Welcomes New Hires To MCSO
Sierra News
Sheriff Jay Varney and the Madera County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) hosted a swearing-in ceremony on Thursday, May 30, to formally recognize recent new hires within the department.
You can expect to see more surveillance video from Modesto police. Here’s why
Modesto Bee
With the increasing prevalence of home and business security cameras, the police more and more are getting help from the public.
Opinion: The Dumbest Gun-Control Paragraph
National Review
That NYT’s piece may very well be the dumbest paragraph ever written about gun control, a subject that has inspired many dumb paragraphs. It is dumb to the point of intellectual dishonesty—because Kristof is not this dumb, and neither are the people who edit the Times op-ed section, dumb as that page is from time to time.
Police Train to Be ‘Social Workers of Last Resort’
PEW
States are requiring more de-escalation and mental health training to avoid police shootings.
EDITORIAL: America’s gun violence is the old abnormal
San Francisco Chronicle
The presidential contenders’ muted reaction reflects a country where even extreme examples of gun violence have become routine. The term “mass shooting” admits many definitions, but by most of them the problem has grown worse over the past decade.
Fire:
Cal Fire discipline program gets new funding in Gavin Newsom’s budget
Fresno Bee
A professional standards program created two years ago to impose discipline at Cal Fire after a series of scandals will remain in place under a new administration, according to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s budget.
Wildfire relief bill on its way to President Trump’s desk despite Republican ‘no’ votes
Sacramento Bee
A long-awaited disaster relief package is finally on its way to President Donald Trump’s desk, meaning billions of dollars in potential assistance could soon be available to California wildfire victims.
See also:
● House approves $19.1-billion disaster aid bill Los Angeles Times
● House sends long-stalled California wildfire relief bill to Trump San Francisco Chronicle
● House passes $19 billion disaster aid bill; Trump is expected to sign Washington Post
● House Passes $19.1 Billion Disaster-Aid Package WSJ
Interactive Map: California Fire Tracker
San Francisco Chronicle
This interactive map lets you monitor wildfires across the state in near real-time. Get critical statistics on each fire, including acres burned and structures damaged, and explore past fires and in-depth coverage from Chronicle experts.
We Can Make California Wildfires Less Horrific. Will We?
KQED
As California wildfires scar more lives and char more property year after year, residents must now grapple with the distinct possibility of opening their front door one day to the sight of a raging inferno.
App Helps Firefighters Track Carcinogen Exposure
PEW
To date, 47 states have passed legislation that grants compensation to firefighters who are diagnosed with cancer. A new phone app gives firefighters the ability to track their own exposure to carcinogens.
Student engineers create bionic hands for a boy burned in a horrendous crash
Los Angeles Times
Two engineering students from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo were due any minute. Seniors Ryan Kissinger and Austin Conrad were coming down to fit Julian with prosthetic hands, a project they’ve been working on since August.
ECONOMY / JOBS
Economy:
California boasts a strong economy. See how it compares to the rest of the country
Sacramento Bee
California’s economy was ranked among the strongest in the nation in a recent survey.. In a survey of all 50 states plus Washington, D.C., the Golden State’s economy ranked No. 4 overall, coming behind Washington state, Utah and Massachusetts, respectively.
US, Mexico officials to begin talks over tariffs, border
Sacramento Bee
Mexico launched a counteroffensive Monday against the threat of U.S. tariffs, warning not only that it would hurt the economies of both countries but also could cause a quarter-million more Central Americans to migrate north.
See also:
● GOP lawmakers discuss vote to block Trump’s new tariffs on Mexico Stockton Record
● Mexico begins trying to talk its way out of Trump’s latest tariff threat Los Angeles Times
● Trump says tariffs on Mexican imports to take effect next week, despite Mexican optimism for a deal Washington Post
● Trump: Mexico tariffs will ‘likely’ go into effect Monday despite talks Politico
● Congressional Republicans are discussing moves to stop Trump’s tariffs on Mexico. It could be their most defiant act in his tenure. Washington Post
How can Trump get reelected? It’s still the economy, stupid
Los Angeles Times
If the economy grows well in the first three quarters of an election year, the incumbent gets credit — and many more votes.
The use and misuse of income data and extreme poverty in the United States
AEI
Recent research suggests that rates of extreme poverty, commonly defined as living on less than $2 per person per day, are high and rising in the United States. This paper examines whether that is really the case.
U.S. Factory Activity Slowed in May
WSJ
ISM’s manufacturing index fell to lowest reading since October 2016.
After Record-Long Expansion, Here’s What Could Knock the Economy Off Course
WSJ
Experts see the U.S. continuing to grow, but looming risks include trade wars, interest-rate mistakes and the ballooning budget deficit.
Democrats Can’t Wish the National Debt Away
WSJ
As they propose to spend tens of trillions more, some economists egg them on with magical thinking.
Cannabis Banking Bill May Falter (Again)
AEI
Many state leaders are hoping the fourth time’s the charm for a federal bill that would protect banks from being penalized for serving licensed cannabis businesses.
Opinion: Small businesses need support, not more regulations
Fresno Bee
Throughout the Golden State and across the nation, May was celebrated as “Small Business Month,” a time to draw attention to the mom-and-pop shops that help color the culture of the communities they serve. It is especially important for me to highlight the impact local, family run construction businesses have in building and supporting our communities.
Jobs:
Fresno police officer contends Dyer retaliated by firing him
Fresno Bee
Gerald Miller says he did his job for 21 years as a Fresno police officer, investigating crimes, arresting suspects, writing reports and backing up fellow officers.
But three months before Miller was eligible to retire, police Chief Jerry Dyer fired him.
Developers and unions “not close” on deal to spur housing construction
CALmatters
In January, two of the biggest adversaries in California housing politics appeared on the verge of detente.
Unions, States Confront Trump Home Care Worker Rule
PEW
Independent home health aides funded by Medicaid can no longer elect to have union dues deducted from their paychecks
EDUCATION
K-12:
New Foundation continues selfless work of beloved Clovis educator
abc30
With the criminal process now behind the Gladdings, the focus now is healing and making a difference. Susan Gladding has started the Gavin Gladding Foundation to continue her husband’s meaningful work.
Video of Bullard High School student in blackface, using a racial slur sparks outrage
abc30
It’s a post that’s drawing national attention to Bullard High School. The video circulating on social media shows a student-athlete wearing blackface and making racial slurs. It has sparked outrage, and it is also shedding light on a much deeper issue.
FUSD offering students free meals over summer break
abc30
With summer vacation fast approaching for students, Fresno Unified says they are not taking a break when it comes to giving children a healthy meal.
Higher Ed:
Family of UC Merced attacker files lawsuit to prevent releasing his ‘manifesto’
Fresno Bee
The family of the 18-year-old UC Merced freshman who stabbed four people in 2015 has filed for a restraining order to prevent the release of his manifesto and related reports, according to documents filed in Alameda County Superior Court.
See also:
● Family of UC Merced stabbing suspect file restraining order to keep evidence concealed abc30
Walmart extends debt-free college benefits to high schoolers
Fresno Bee
Walmart is extending its debt-free college benefits to high schoolers as a way to attract and retain workers in a tight labor market.
Students have a right to accessible health care. That includes abortion
Sacramento Bee
The University of California Student Association (UCSA) is proud to this year support and advocate for Senate Bill 24, which would require on-campus student health centers at all public California universities to provide medication abortion, also known as the abortion pill.
ENVIRONMENT/ ENERGY
Environment:
These California Environmental Bills Made It to the Next Round
KQED
For California bills and their sponsors, Friday was pass-or-die time in the Legislature. It’s an annual rite of spring: If on a certain date proposed bills don’t pass out of their house of origin, be it the Assembly or the Senate, they die for the year.
Is it our constitutional right to live in a world safe from climate change?
Los Angeles Times
Growing up in Fairbanks, Alaska, Nathan Baring has seen the signs of a warming world all around him. The winters have begun to lose their infamous chill. Thawing permafrost is shifting the ground beneath his feet. And some years, there isn’t even enough snow to ski.
Discounting climate change, EPA chief faults the media for the rise of bad environmental news
Yahoo News
Borrowing one of President Trump’s favorite refrains, Environmental Protection Agency administrator Andrew Wheeler criticized the news media at length Monday for focusing on only dire environmental news.
Joe Biden’s $5T climate plan: Net zero emissions by 2050
Fresno Bee
Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden is pitching a $5 trillion-plus climate proposal that he says would lead the U.S. to net zero emission of carbon pollution by 2050.
See also:
● Biden, Inslee, other 2020 Dems tout sweeping initiatives to combat climate change abc30
● Biden proposes $1.7-trillion plan to combat climate change Los Angeles Times
● What Joe Biden Is Revealing About Democrats WSJ
Elizabeth Warren proposes $2 trillion clean energy plan as Green New Deal momentum builds
Washington Post
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) on Tuesday unveiled a proposal to invest $2 trillion in federal funding in clean energy programs as part of a Green New Deal aimed at confronting global climate change, according to her campaign.
EDITORIAL: An Ethanol Sop to Farmers
WSJ
The EPA allows E15 blends in the summer to offset tariff damage.
Energy:
PG&E has not been what California deserves. That’s going to change
Sacramento Bee
The people of Northern and Central California deserve more than they’ve gotten from PG&E. What they have today is a bankrupt utility that’s under federal probation for a gas pipeline explosion, and whose electric lines have ignited wildfires, including what became California’s most destructive blaze, the Camp Fire.
HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES
Health:
California says coffee does not pose significant cancer risk
abc30
Perk up: California officially gave its blessing to coffee, declaring the beverage does not pose a “significant” cancer risk.
See also:
● Coffee won’t need cancer warning in California after all Los Angeles Times
● Perk up: California says coffee cancer risk insignificant Stockton Record
Human Services:
Health Policy Leadership Program
Central California center for Health and Human Services
Currently accepting applications.
Complaints rise at Kaweah Delta: California Department of Public Health
Visalia Times Delta
California Department of Public Health records show a significant increase in both complaints to the agency and those it substantiated against Kaweah Delta Medical Center since 2017.
Schnur: How can California afford health coverage for undocumented?
Sacramento Bee
In other parts of the country, they’re fighting about whether to build a border wall or whether to deport asylum seekers. But here in California we’re having an entirely different type of debat
California sues opioid company, alleging ‘unlawful marketing’ contributed to 2,000 overdoses
Fresno Bee
California is suing the pharmaceutical company Purdue Pharma, alleging that its opioid painkillers contributed to the deaths of more than 2,000 Californians.
See also:
● Calif. sues OxyContin maker for alleged deceptive marketing abc30
● California Among Latest States To Sue Opioid Maker Over Its Marketing Of OxyContin Capital Public Radio
● California latest state to sue Purdue Pharma over OxyContin marketing San Francisco Chronicle
CVS announces further expansion into health care services
Fresno Bee
CVS Health is pushing deeper into health services with plans to add dietitians, medical equipment and space for the occasional yoga class to 1,500 stores over the next few years.
Kaiser mental health workers to walk out on indefinite strike over patient care concerns
Merced Sun-Star
A union representing nearly 4,000 mental health workers at Kaiser Permanente announced Monday that they plan to walk out June 11 on an indefinite strike at 100-plus facilities around California if their concerns about patient care aren’t addressed.
Injured California workers can get care approved faster as paperless workers’ comp is tested
Sacramento Bee
This summer, workers’ compensation providers in California will be able to test out new software that lets them get authorizations for patient treatments in real-time – through their electronic medical records – rather than waiting several days for decisions to come via fax.
Backing the FDA, a federal judge delivers a blow against bogus stem cell clinics
Los Angeles Times
In an important ruling protecting public health, a federal judge in Miami on Monday backed the Food and Drug Administration in its campaign to rein in stem cell clinics offering unproven and potentially hazardous “stem cell” treatments of a long list of diseases.
Ex CBO director knocks GOP on Obamacare and Congress for rising deficits
Roll Call
The just departed Congressional Budget Office director Keith Hall says the often secretive process the Republicans followed defeated their own effort to repeal Obamacare in 2017.
Palliative Care Beyond Hospice is Spreading
PEW
States are taking steps to make palliative care available to more patients who don’t need hospice care.
Physician Burnout Costs The U.S. Health Care System Billions Each Year
NPR
Doctor burnout is costing the U.S. health care system a lot — roughly $4.6 billion a year, according to a study published this week in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Public Unions vs. Single-Payer
WSJ
Look who has doubts about government-run health care.
IMMIGRATION
At this historic farm in the Sierra foothills, first Japanese settlement in U.S. turns 150
Sacramento Bee
Here, on these grassy slopes, in this tiny town in the Sierra foothills, the first Japanese settlement in the United States was born.
Judge tosses House lawsuit over border wall spending
Roll Call
A federal judge in Washington on Monday threw out the House’s lawsuit against the Trump administration over funds to construct a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border, saying the courts were not the place to settle this dispute over congressional appropriations power.
LAND USE/HOUSING
Land Use:
River Park’s new mystery restaurant reveals details: It’s airplane-themed and it’s hiring
Fresno Bee
The Hangar restaurant will open in early summer, though no specific date has been given. It’s airplane-themed, billed as an experience that combines a place to eat with a theme park.
The danger of a $2 trillion infrastructure promise
Brookings
Another Infrastructure Week (the real one) just wrapped up, and after seven years many of the core themes remain the same. Crumbling roads and bridges. Desperate calls for new investment. A high national price tag for repair and revitalization. Little progress.
Housing:
Californians’ rents could go up under Kamala Harris’ housing plan
Modesto Bee
California senator and 2020 presidential candidate Kamala Harris says she has a plan to help Americans struggling to keep up with skyrocketing rents. But in California, where housing scarcity is driving an affordability crisis, experts warn that Harris’ proposal could have the unintended consequence of increasing rents for everyone.
Weakened rent control bill advances in Assembly
Public CEO
After intense opposition by business groups who said it would discourage housing construction in a state with a huge housing shortage, Chiu agreed to concessions that were so significant that most critics took a neutral stand on his bill, starting with Realtors. It now limits rent increases to 7 percent plus consumer price index inflation and sunsets in 2023. It also doesn’t apply to housing projects built in the last 10 years or to landlords renting 10 or fewer units.
PUBLIC FINANCES
Competing ideas on federal intervention to compensate teachers
Brookings
Michael Hansen and Jacqueline Lantsman analyze the proposals put forth by leading Democratic presidential candidates for a federal government solution to stagnant teacher salaries, an issue that has historically been left to the states.
The USDA violated rules trying to move agencies out of D.C., new House report finds
Roll Call
In its drive to move two research-related agencies out of Washington, the USDA violated rules for reprogramming department funds, never sought public opinion and ignored appropriators’ request for a cost-benefit analysis, according to a House report released Monday.
Retirement bill remains stalled amid Republican holds in Senate
Roll Call
A handful of Republican senators are holding up what could be the biggest retirement savings bill in more than a decade.
Trump Wants to Cut Interest Rates. Powell Should Do It Anyway
WSJ
The chairman made the case last year for easing if the yield curve inverts—as it did in March.
TRANSPORTATION
BYD, World’s Biggest Electric Car Maker, Looks Nothing Like Tesla
Bloomberg
BYD, which built the battery in your ’90s cellphone, now produces more EVs than anyone—and it wants to sell them to you, soon.
WATER
Fostering Sustainability in the San Joaquin Valley
Public Policy Institute of California
California’s largest farming region faces two linked challenges: balancing groundwater supply and demand in overdrafted basins, and addressing water quality in the region’s aquifers. We talked to Ashley Boren, executive director of Sustainable Conservation, about tackling these issues in the San Joaquin Valley.
Danger ahead: It’s getting hotter and rivers look refreshing. What to know before you dive in
Fresno Bee
Rivers in the central San Joaquin Valley are beginning to rise as temperatures heat up and snow begins to melt, sending menacing currents downstream.
See also:
● California sees biggest June snowpack in nearly a decade thanks to spring storms Los Angeles Times
● Residents move to higher ground to avoid flooding of Kings River abc30
● Wet weather, melting snow bring adjustments to Isabella Lake repair work Bakersfield Californian
● Skiing in July, dangerous rivers, full reservoirs: What Sierra’s huge snowpack means for summer Sacramento Bee
State bill would rebuild Friant-Kern Canal, a key Valley waterway that needs fixing
Fresno Bee
The San Joaquin Valley is ground zero for issues of water quality and supply. While there are countless studies that have highlighted these water challenges, there have been few investments made to begin to address the problem. We must do more.
All Californians deserve safe drinking water
Visalia Times Delta
In California today, nearly one million Californians, served by 300 water systems in mostly low-income rural communities, no longer have access to safe drinking water.
Summer and fall 2019 is an important time for groundwater planning.
Community Water Center
In preparation for this period, Community Water Center has just released two new resources for protecting drinking water quality in the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA)
● Guide to Protecting Drinking Water Quality Under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act
● Groundwater Quality in the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA): Scientific Factsheet on Arsenic, Uranium, and Chromium (In partnership with researchers at Stanford University)
CNN
Global sea levels could rise more than two meters (6.6 feet) by the end of this century if emissions continue unchecked, swamping major cities such as New York and Shanghai and displacing up to 187 million people, a new study warns.
“Xtra”
Modesto Bee hosts panel discussion on children, senior health on June 13 at Gallo
Modesto Bee
The Modesto CA Bee is hosting a health care event at the Gallo Center for the Arts focused on the physical and mental health of children and seniors in and around Stanislaus County. The event is Thursday, June 13.
MoBand turns 100. How talent, work, love and luck have made it a summertime smash
Modesto Bee
His imagination’s not good enough to picture what the past 50 years of his life would have been without MoBand.
New heavyweight champion is first of Mexican descent. And he came up through Valley
Modesto Bee