POLICY & POLITICS
North SJ Valley:
Primary 2020 Election Day arrives in Stanislaus County
Modesto Bee
All the mailers, emails and various other political messages you’ve been getting have been leading up to Tuesday, the California 2020 Primary Election. And it’s not too late, even if you’re not registered to vote.
See also:
Our endorsement for Congressman Josh Harder comes down to these reasons
Modesto Bee
In the 13 months he’s been in office, Harder has collaborated on more legislation with across-the-aisle Republicans than any other House Democrat in the country.
More turnover for Modesto City Council as member says she won’t seek another term
Modesto Bee
Modesto Councilwoman Kristi Ah You has decided not to run for re-election, bringing more turnover among the city’s elected leaders.
RTD offers free rides to polls on ‘Buses for Democracy’
Stockton Record
San Joaquin Regional Transit District will offer free transportation to help voters get to the polls Tuesday for California’s primary election.
Modesto highway project finally under way, but dust, toxic dirt have residents worried
Modesto Bee
A long-awaited project to realign Highway 132 in west Modesto is well under way, and so is an effort to dispose of tons of dirt contaminated with toxic barium.
Central SJ Valley:
Fresno ballot count looks strong, clerk says. Here’s where you can still vote
Fresno Bee
Although presidential primary elections have a history of lower turnout than November elections, Fresno is showing strong numbers in the tally of ballots returned.
See also:
Andrew Janz and Jerry Dyer both feeling confident with campaigns
abc30
Although very different, Deputy District Attorney Andrew Janz and former Fresno Police Chief Jerry Dyer have some similar goals: to make the city more business-friendly and tackle the homeless crisis.
UC Berkeley Water Report Sinks Calif Farm Industry Says Valley Asm Patterson
KMJ
A groundbreaking new report released Monday afternoon spells out the economic disaster for farmers in the Central Valley and statewide as a result of California’s water policies.
Lemoore City Council to hold public hearing
Hanford Sentinel
The Lemoore City Council will meet Tuesday evening to hold one public hearing. The public hearing is in regards to a development agreement between the city and KKAL, LP, to develop approximately 83.5 acres located north of Idaho Avenue between state Route 41 and 19th Avenue.
Devin Nunes sues Washington Post. It’s his 7th lawsuit in 12 months
Fresno Bee
California Republican Rep. Devin Nunes on Monday filed his seventh lawsuit in 12 months alleging that he was the victim of defamation or conspiracy, this time suing The Washington Post.
EDITORIAL: Congressman Jim Costa is at ‘the top of his game.’ Voters should give him a new term
Sacramento Bee
Democrats hold a nearly 20-percentage point advantage over Republicans in party registration in California’s 16th Congressional District. It has been solidly under Jim Costa’s control since it was formed in 2012.
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South SJ Valley:
Bakersfield-to-Palmdale bullet train segment, if built, could 'transform' Kern
Bakersfield Californian
State officials have released a draft environmental review of the California high-speed rail segment that, by linking Bakersfield with northern Los Angeles County, would be the project's most important section for Kern County.
Self-driving bus to be built partly in Porterville
Business Journal
Coming soon to a street (but probably not near you): an all-electric, autonomous bus. GreenPower Motor Company Inc., the Canadian-based electric bus maker with an assembly plant in Porterville, is partnering with a Virginia-based technology firm to make it happen.
Kings County to hold special meeting on livestock carcass emergency
Business Journal
Carcasses are piling up after the South Valley’s only rendering plant was forced to stop picking up dead cows, bulls and horses on Feb. 24 after mechanical issues forced a severe slowdown of its operations.
Oil leak resumes near McKittrick
Bakersfield Californian
A high-profile oil leak near McKittrick has resumed its flow after being inactive for months. Chevron reported that the leak, called a surface expression, reactivated Friday and brought 115 barrels of fluid to the surface in what state regulators described as a slow trickle.
State:
California braces for long lines at Super Tuesday primary
Fresno Bee
Officials in California are bracing for long lines and urging patience as voters cast ballots on “Super Tuesday” in what could be record turnout for a presidential primary election.
See also:
California voting changes raise concerns for 'Super Tuesday' Porterville Recorder
Prop. 13 is back on the ballot: Here's what you need to know
KCRA 3
This measure is not the original Prop. 13. The bulk of the money, $9 billion, would go to grades K-12 to help renovate older classroom buildings -- anything from plumbing and electrical needs to heating and air conditioning.
See also:
A look at Proposition 13, the $15-billion school bond on the March 3 ballot Los Angeles Times
What to Know About Proposition 13 New York Times
Gov. Gavin Newsom asks for $20M from California’s disaster funds to fight coronavirus
Fresno Bee
Gov. Gavin Newsom wants lawmakers to make $20 million available for coronavirus response out of the state’s disaster and emergency funds, the California Department of Public Health announced Monday afternoon.
See also:
Pence tells governors money for coronavirus costs is coming Bakersfield Californian
See a map of coronavirus cases in California by county Sacramento Bee
Newsom’s judicial appointments diversifying California’s courts
San Francisco Chronicle
California’s judiciary, already among the most diverse in the nation, has become even more so under Gov. Gavin Newsom, who appointed a majority of women and non-whites to the bench in his first year in office, the state Judicial Council reported Monday.
See also:
Survey: California Bench Growing More Diverse California Courts
The days of fast growth are ending for L.A. and California, report says
Los Angeles Times
It wasn’t so long ago that economic growth in California and Los Angeles far surpassed that of the nation. Those days are coming to an end, according to the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corp., a nonprofit group that works with local businesses.
Universal Income Program in California Proposed in New Bill
California Globe
A bill that would give $1,000 a month to every California resident over the age of 18 was introduced into the Assembly and is currently awaiting Committee assignment.
Legislators’ charity use has prompted calls for reform — but not from the Assembly Speaker
CalMatters
The fundraising has generated criticism and a state investigation, but California Speaker Anthony Rendon isn't asking legislators to change their conduct.
Republicans hope for US House turnaround in California
Fresno Bee
California is one of the most heavily Democratic states in the country, but Republicans this year are determined to regain a string of U.S. House seats the party lost to Democrats two years ago.
See also:
GOP infighting in race for seat of disgraced Rep. Hunter Fresno Bee
7 things to watch on Super Tuesday in the battle for Congress Roll Call
In red California, Democrats struggle to win young voters amid a ‘sea of gray hairs’
Los Angeles Times
Even in America’s largest liberal bastion, swaths of California exist as political petri dishes for the kind of suburban and rural places in battleground states where Democrats need to squeeze out as many votes, including young ones, as they can.
Along a scenic highway, a road map of California’s hopes and anxieties
Los Angeles Times
For nearly 300 miles along dramatic curves and desolate straightaways, State Route 33 passes seamlessly through California’s interior, exposing the attitudes and interests that divide it.
Federal:
Despite new U.S. coronavirus deaths, ‘the risk is low,’ Trump officials say
Los Angeles Times
Even as the U.S. death toll from the coronavirus rose to six and the spread continues in California, senior public health officials continued to stress that the coronavirus does not represent a serious threat to most people.
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Elections 2020:
California Democrats ponder reordered field in 2020 contest
Fresno Bee
Democratic voters in California will consider a suddenly reshaped presidential field Tuesday that has largely narrowed to a rivalry between emerging establishment favorite Joe Biden, billionaire Michael Bloomberg and progressive rivals Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren.
See also:
A Sanders blowout or a delegate split? California to shape outcome of 2020 primary race Sacramento Bee
California will award 10% of all Democratic delegates. How are voters deciding? PBS NewsHour
California Election Day guide: What to watch for as the primary results come in Fresno Bee
What you need to know before voting in California’s primary election Los Angeles Times
The Primary Election Is On Tuesday - But You Knew That, Right? VPR
California is the big prize on Super Tuesday Los Angeles Times
EDITORIAL: Here are The Bee’s recommendations for Tuesday’s election, plus what to do to vote Modesto Bee
CalMatters
The first batch of votes counted when California polls close tonight will be the more than 3.7 million ballots already mailed in — and a chunk of those will contain “zombie votes” for president.
See also:
Are California Elections a Triumph of Democracy—or a Defeat? Zocalo Public Square
Half of the Democrats on California presidential ballots dropped out. Can you get a do-over? Merced Sun-Star
Opinion: Did you vote early in California’s Democratic presidential primary? Sorry to hear that Los Angeles Times
Column: Early voting is a terrible idea, and California’s primary proves it Los Angeles Times
Fresno Bee
Centrist Democrats closed ranks behind Joe Biden on Monday, with Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Pete Buttigieg – the freshest casualties of 2020 – converging on Dallas to help the former vice president keep the nomination from Sen. Bernie Sanders.
See also:
McNerney endorses Biden for president ahead of Super Tuesday Stockton Record
‘Rocket fuel’: How black voters could deliver a Super Tuesday windfall to Biden Politico
Amy Klobuchar ends campaign for president, backs Biden Fresno Bee
Reordered Democratic field to test Sanders in California Hanford Sentinel
Biden nabs Klobuchar, Buttigieg support on Super Tuesday eve Porterville Recorder
Nervous Democrats rally behind Biden to stop Sanders on Super Tuesday Los Angeles Times
Buttigieg, Klobuchar, Beto O’Rourke and Harry Reid endorse Biden Washington Post
Ahead of Super Tuesday, many black voters wonder whether Biden can go the distance Washington Post
Ethnic communities don’t have a ‘unified voice.’ It’s a challenge for 2020 candidates Los Angeles Times
Opinion: CA Voters: Biden’s the Centrist Who Can Beat Trump Calbuzz
EDITORIAL: Buttigieg, Steyer and Klobuchar drop out; other Democrats also should do the right thing Stockton Record
Sanders Dominates in California, Where Income Gap Looms Large
Bloomberg
California’s crisis over income inequality and housing affordability has boosted Democratic presidential front-runner Bernie Sanders to a dominant standing days before the state’s primary.
See also:
Inside Bernie's 'secret strategy' to win huge in California Politico
How Bernie Sanders runs in the Democratic primary when he’s an independent in the Senate PolitiFact
Opinion: Bernie Sanders would be an awful president Washington Post
Opinion: Against Sanders, Trump Is the Lesser Evil Wall Street Journal
Big Super Tuesday prizes a study in contrasts over voting
Stockton Record
California and Texas are the most populous states in the nation and the biggest delegate prizes on Tuesday for the presidential contestants. They also present a stark contrast in voting laws.
A contested convention? The Democrats’ delegate system, explained
PolitiFact
Political observers wonder whether this summer could bring a “contested” Democratic convention, one where no candidate has the simple majority of delegates required to crown a nominee.
See also:
Warren bets on brokered convention. Will she last that long? Fresno Bee
15% is the Super Tuesday number you’ll be hearing about a lot PolitiFact
Coronavirus And Super Tuesday Voting: It's Touchy
Capital Public Radio
With concern growing about the spread of the coronavirus, officials in a number of Super Tuesday states are taking extra precautions to assure voters that it's safe to go to the polls.
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Want to bet on Trump, Bernie or Biden to win 2020 race? Hold that thought
San Francisco Chronicle
Not one state or U.S. territory permits people to wager on the political primaries and caucuses. But that could change in coming years.
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Bloomberg's online tactics test the boundary of disinformation
Politico
Taken together, Bloomberg’s moves are testing the boundary between edgy campaign fare and disinformation, as well as the limits of regulated political advertising.
Opinion: Will Obama let the Democratic Party sink in the quicksand of socialism?
Fresno Bee
For someone as loquacious as Barack Obama, the current Democratic primary race must be almost painful to endure. The ex-president has said he would refrain from sticking his nose into likely the largest intramural party competition in recent memory, featuring two dozen candidates at one point.
Opinion: Pete Buttigieg and Kamala Harris reflected America as I know it
Washington Post
When you’re part of a marginalized community, you long to see yourself reflected in the society around you and in positions of power and moral authority. You want everyone to see how good you are.
Why does it take so long to get election results in California?
Los Angeles Times
If the measure of a successful election were only how quickly the results are released, then California would be a disaster. But that’s not how election officials in the state see it as they prepare for the primary election on Tuesday, or Super Tuesday, when California and 13 other states vote.
See also:
California’s election is Tuesday. Results come sometime later San Francisco Chronicle
Everything you need to know about California’s 2020 primary election Los Angeles Times
Other:
Delta College hosts events to celebrate women’s voting rights
Stockton Record
San Joaquin Delta College will host a series of events this month celebrating 100 years and counting of women having the right to vote in the United States.
The Black middle class needs political attention, too
Brookings
The Democratic presidential candidates’ courtship of the Black electorate has received significant attention, as it should. The eventual nominee has little to no chance of winning in November without an enthusiastic Black voting base.
Census Advocates Spread the Word on New Online Forms
Pew Trusts
With only weeks remaining until the 2020 census count begins, states and cities are scrambling to make sure residents know what to expect when they open their mail in mid-March.
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MADDY INSTITUTE PUBLIC POLICY PROGRAMMING
Sunday, March 8, at 10 a.m. on ABC30 – Maddy Report: California’s Concealed Carry Permits: The Wild West of Permitting? - Guest: California State Auditor Elaine Howle. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.
Sunday, March 8, at 10 a.m. on Newstalk 580AM/105.9FM (KMJ) – Maddy Report - Valley Views Edition: Concealed Carry Permits: Are Valley Standards the De Facto State Standards? - Guests: Fresno Co Sheriff Margaret Mims, Tulare Co Sheriff Mike Boudreaux, and Stanislaus Co Sheriff Adam Christianson. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.
Sunday, March 8, at 7:30 a.m. on UniMas 61 (KTTF) – El Informe Maddy: Higher Education and Path in California - Guests: PPIC Olga Rodriguez and Marisol Cuellar. Host: Maddy Institute Program Coordinator, Maria Jeans.
AGRICULTURE/FOOD
Elizabeth Warren unveils farmworkers’ rights plan
Los Angeles Times
Sen. Elizabeth Warren unveiled a plan for farmworker and food chain employee rights Monday that would bolster federal safety protections and workers’ access to basic rights.
See also:
Sen. Elizabeth Warren unveils 'Dignity for Farmworkers' plan ahead of Super Tuesday Visalia Times Delta
'Without water we can't grow anything': can small farms survive California's landmark water law?
The Guardian
For the first time in history, the state is regulating the groundwater that fuels its massive agriculture industry. Now the smallest farms face the biggest threat.
Kings County to hold special meeting on livestock carcass emergency
Business Journal
Carcasses are piling up after the South Valley’s only rendering plant was forced to stop picking up dead cows, bulls and horses on Feb. 24 after mechanical issues forced a severe slowdown of its operations.
Opinion: Two words environmentalists, Valley growers should agree on: regenerative farming
Fresno Bee
Regenerative agriculture actually pulls excess carbon out of the atmosphere and puts it back into the ground, where it came from. Regenerative ag also absorbs more rainfall into the ground, where we need it, which reduces topsoil erosion.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE/FIRE/PUBLIC SAFETY
Crime:
California Supreme Court defines difference between identify theft, theft
San Francisco Chronicle
A 2014 initiative that reduced theft crimes to misdemeanors if they involved nonviolently taking $950 or less from a business doesn’t apply to stealing property by using someone else’s identity, which remains a felony, the state Supreme Court ruled Monday.
State Leaders Seek Strategies To Combat Extremist Violence
Route Fifty
Domestic terrorism and hate crimes are on the rise in the United States, with the latter hitting a 16-year high in 2019. Much of that upswing has been attributed to white nationalists and right-wing groups.
Ransomware Attacks Prompt Tough Question for Local Officials: To Pay or Not to Pay?
Pew Trusts
There were at least 113 successful ransomware attacks on state and local governments last year, according to global cybersecurity company Emsisoft, and in each case, officials had to figure out how to respond.
Public Safety:
Supreme Court won’t hear challenge to ban on bump stocks
Stockton Record
The Supreme Court refused Monday to consider a challenge to the Trump administration’s ban on bump stocks, a rapid-fire device used in the 2017 mass killing of 59 people gunned down in Las Vegas.
This State Has Figured Out How to Treat Drug-Addicted Inmates
Pew Trusts
Nationwide, two-thirds of the country’s 2.3 million inmates are addicted to drugs or alcohol, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. But only a small fraction of those who need treatment behind bars receives it.
Los Angeles Times
About 20 percent of eligible inmates have been paroled. Judges across the state have ruled the state prison system isn’t complying with the law’s intent
Fire:
PG&E says it can't commit to expanding tree-trimming force
Hanford Sentinel
Lawyers for Pacific Gas & Electric said the utility can't commit to hiring hundreds more tree trimmers in the way that a federal judge wants to cut the risk of starting more catastrophic wildfires in California.
See also:
PG&E won’t commit to hiring a set amount of tree trimmers San Francisco Chronicle
ECONOMY/JOBS
Economy:
Fed makes largest emergency cut to interest rates since the financial crisis
Washington Post
The Federal Reserve made an emergency interest rate cut Tuesday, slashing the benchmark U.S. interest rate by half a percentage point, the biggest one-time reduction since the financial crisis.
See also:
After a week of bloodletting, US stock markets rebound sharply
abc30
After some major bloodletting last week, the Dow Jones Industrial Average had its biggest single-day percentage gain since 2009 on Monday, rising nearly 1,300 points.
See also:
U.S. stocks jump, erasing some of last week’s drop Los Angeles Times
Stocks Suffer Biggest Weekly Losses Since 2008 Wall Street Journal
Coronavirus could cut global growth outlook in half, OECD warns
abc30
The global economy is facing its "greatest danger since the financial crisis" with the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, according to the OECD.
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Latino small business owners are the fastest-growing group of entrepreneurs in U.S.
CalMatters
Latino-owned businesses contribute about $500 billion to the U.S. economy in annual sales and employ more than 3 million people.
Examining the Black-white wealth gap
Brookings
A close examination of wealth in the U.S. finds evidence of staggering racial disparities. At $171,000, the net worth of a typical white family is nearly ten times greater than that of a Black family ($17,150) in 2016.
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The future will be shaped by what global productivity growth does next
Brookings
Productivity growth is a shadow of its former self. It’s one-tenth of what it was 40 years ago in advanced economies, and even emerging economies are struggling to replicate the growth of the past.
Jobs:
Franchisors & freelance workers fight AB5
abc30
Freelance workers and franchisors are fighting back against the passage of Assembly Bill 5, which went into effect in January of this year. Deli Delicious is a Valley grown franchise. Lately, it's one of the hundreds of brands or franchisors finding itself being impacted by Assembly Bill Five.
See also:
Gig Economy Law Author Proposes Legislation Easing Impact on Freelancers The Hollywood Reporter
Walters: The gig worker battle continues CalMatters
UC Santa Cruz fires 54 graduate student workers striking for higher pay
Los Angeles Times
UC Santa Cruz fired 54 graduate student workers who were on strike demanding higher pay to afford the area’s high cost of living. The strike is not backed by the union that represents the university’s graduate student employees.
EDUCATION
K-12:
Clovis Unified's CTE Night 2020
CUSD
Clovis Unified families are invited to learn more about our growing Career Technical Education programs at the March 17th CTE Night.
Fresno-area schools are asking voters for a lot of money. Here’s what you need to know
Fresno Bee
Six different Fresno-area school districts are asking voters to approve local bond funding, and there’s a statewide school bond on the ballot, too. Want to know how much you could pay, if voters support a bond in Fresno, Clovis and Central district schools?
Here’s what Gov. Gavin Newsom raised money for this election cycle
Sacramento Bee
Gov. Gavin Newsom has raised over $10 million to support a ballot measure that asks voters to approve $15 billion in bond funding to renovate aging schools, campaign finance records show.
Higher Ed:
Central Valley Community College Leaders Form Caucus to Advocate for Full Funding
CAFWD
State legislators can expect to hear more from some Central Valley community college leaders due to shortfalls after a new statewide funding formula was put in place. Concerned about the impact on their work, the college leaders decided to organize a caucus.
Opinion: College for people like me: How majority-Black campuses boost social mobility
Brookings
HBCUs occupy a small but important place in American higher education serving just 0.1 percent of the overall student population, but accounting for 20 percent of black students who complete bachelor’s degrees and 27 percent of African-American students with bachelor’s degrees in STEM fields, for example.
ENVIRONMENT/ ENERGY
Environment:
A California national park site gets more visitors than any in the US. No, not Yosemite
Sacramento Bee
There are hundreds of national recreation areas across the country, but more people visited one site in California than any other. The Golden Gate National Recreation Area is the most-visited site in the National Park System, according to a National Park Service news release.
California is taking aim at Uber and Lyft’s outsized climate consequences
CalMatters
Uber and Lyft are bigger greenhouse gas polluters than they should be, two recent reports say. California's climate enforcers aim to fix that.
Energy:
Oil leak resumes near McKittrick
Bakersfield Californian
A high-profile oil leak near McKittrick has resumed its flow after being inactive for months. Chevron reported that the leak, called a surface expression, reactivated Friday and brought 115 barrels of fluid to the surface in what state regulators described as a slow trickle.
Wave of oil money hits local Calif. climate candidates
E&E News
The oil industry has turned an epicenter of climate change into one of its first 2020 battlegrounds. And the election it's targeting isn't for president, Congress or even the California Statehouse. It's more local than that.
HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES
Health:
Valley patient tests negative for coronavirus. Positive cases rise in California
Fresno Bee
A patient in Tulare County has tested negative for the novel coronavirus as officials ramp up the response to the spreading virus. Over the weekend, Adventist Health Tulare reported a patient was placed in isolation as a precaution after showing symptoms similar to the COVID-19.
See also:
Two people placed in isolation and tested for coronavirus, Kern Public Health says Bakersfield Californian
Stanislaus County public health officer discusses how to prepare for coronavirus Fresno Bee
Scammers pitching fake vaccines and cures for coronavirus. Here’s what you should know Fresno Bee
Tulare Co. health officials: No evidence of coronavirus in isolated patient abc30
Health Department says ‘no evidence’ in Tulare case Visalia Times Delta
Coronavirus Update Following Weekend News Of Spread Capital Public Radio
Local schools, including CSUB, taking cautionary measures against coronavirus Bakersfield Californian
Nursing Home Outbreak Spotlights Coronavirus Risk In Elder Care Facilities California Healthline
Opinion: Our lack of paid sick leave will make the coronavirus worse Washington Post
Dianne Feinstein warns of ‘a rise in racism’ against Asian-Americans due to coronavirus
Sacramento Bee
Racism toward Asian-Americans is growing because the coronavirus has its roots in China, Sen. Dianne Feinstein warned Monday. The California Democrat cited “a rise in racism toward Asian-Americans because the virus is associated with China. This is unconscionable and it’s not the American way.”
Air Pollution Pandemic Kills More People Prematurely than Smoking, Malaria and HIV/AIDS, Study Finds
Newsweek
An air pollution "pandemic" shortens the lives of more people than smoking, malaria and HIV/AIDS, a study has found. Using a newly developed model, scientists have shown air pollution wipes almost three years off people's lives on average, accounting for 8.8 million premature deaths in 2015.
Human Services:
Supreme Court will decide the fate of Obama health care law
Fresno Bee
The Supreme Court agreed Monday to decide a lawsuit that threatens the Obama-era health care law, a case that will keep health care squarely in front of voters even though a decision won't come until after the 2020 election.
See also:
Supreme Court will hear a third Obamacare appeal — this time from California Democrats trying to save it Los Angeles Times
Justices grant Affordable Care Act petitions SCOTUS Blog
Prostate cancer support group in Tehachapi has been helping men for 20 years
Bakersfield Californian
The first time you attend a meeting of the Tehachapi Valley Prostate Cancer Information Group, you might wonder how many valued members these men have had to say goodbye to.
As Suicide Rates Climb, Crisis Centers Expand
Pew Trusts
They work in concert with local first responders, creating a comprehensive system of services to address the first 24 hours of a person’s psychiatric emergency.
Medical Groups Slam Trump Medicaid Rule
Pew Trusts
Hospitals, governors and medical professionals have gathered in opposition to a complex Trump administration Medicaid proposal that opponents fear would slash federal health care contributions and add administrative costs.
Coronavirus funding talks held up over drug price language
Roll Call
Disagreement over provisions intended to ensure affordability of vaccines and other medications is holding up agreement on an emergency funding package to fight the novel coronavirus-caused illness that has killed over 3,000 worldwide, sources familiar with the talks said.
IMMIGRATION
Divided Supreme Court rules illegal immigrants can't be shielded from ID theft prosecution
Fox News
A divided Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that illegal immigrants who use someone else's information when filling out tax forms for employment can face criminal charges, despite federal laws that liberal justices claim should prohibit such cases.
LAND USE/HOUSING
Land Use:
Westlands Solar Park begins build; could eventually power 1.2M homes
Business Journal
Westlands Solar Park (WSP), the largest permitted solar park in North America, started construction on its master-planned energy park that encompasses more than 20,000 acres in western Fresno and Kings counties.
Housing:
Proposal to build new homes in certain Clovis location facing backlash
abc30
The pecan orchard just outside of the Clovis city limits could soon make way for new homes. Developer Leo Wilson is looking to turn the land near the northeast corner of Shepherd and Sunnyside into housing, but not everyone is on board with the proposed project.
Mortgage Rates Are Near All-Time Lows As Coronavirus Worries Hit Markets
Capital Public Radio
Coronavirus fears have sent stock markets reeling, but they're also pushing mortgage rates down near historical lows. That's an opportunity for homebuyers and homeowners.
How would Democratic candidates fix the housing and homelessness crises?
Los Angeles Times
The surge in homelessness in Los Angeles, San Francisco and other West Coast cities has troubled many Americans as rents have risen further out of reach for those with the least. In California, homelessness has become a top concern for many voters.
Vacancies in this California government department are slowing Newsom’s housing agenda
Sacramento Bee
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s ambitious plans to build houses and reduce homelessness in California depend on a state department that is understaffed, lacking permanent leaders and struggling to adjust to change, according to documents and interviews.
PUBLIC FINANCES
Taxing Internet Ads Could Raise Lots of Money, but Doubts Persist
Pew Trusts
Leading Maryland lawmakers seeking a way to help pay for a $4 billion, 10-year education plan came up with what they consider an innovative idea of where to get the cash: deep-pocketed internet companies.
Biggest-ever CalPERS pension tops $400,000 per year
Sacramento Bee
A former top investment official at CalPERS received the largest pension the retirement system has ever paid last year, according to Transparent California and reviews of pension data by The Sacramento Bee.
TRANSPORTATION
Modesto highway project finally under way, but dust, toxic dirt have residents worried
Modesto Bee
A long-awaited project to realign Highway 132 in west Modesto is well under way, and so is an effort to dispose of tons of dirt contaminated with toxic barium.
Bakersfield-to-Palmdale bullet train segment, if built, could 'transform' Kern
Bakersfield Californian
State officials have released a draft environmental review of the California high-speed rail segment that, by linking Bakersfield with northern Los Angeles County, would be the project's most important section for Kern County.
Self-driving bus to be built partly in Porterville
Business Journal
Coming soon to a street (but probably not near you): an all-electric, autonomous bus. GreenPower Motor Company Inc., the Canadian-based electric bus maker with an assembly plant in Porterville, is partnering with a Virginia-based technology firm to make it happen.
Gas prices keep falling in Fresno, Valley. Here’s where the best deals are
Fresno Bee
The average pump price in Fresno for regular unleaded gasoline is about 80 cents per gallon lower than October 2019 spike. A growing number of stations in the area are offering fuel for under $3 per gallon.
Stanislaus County’s first on-ramp meters will activate on Highway 99 in a few weeks
Modesto Bee
Several on-ramps to Highway 99 in Stanislaus and San Joaquin counties will start using metering lights in March and April 2020, the California Department of Transportation announced. They regulate peak traffic.
Wondering how planes and ships are being disinfected to fight coronavirus? Here’s how
Los Angeles Times
Here’s how planes and cruise ships are being disinfected to fight coronavirus. The travel industry is concerned about the financial hit from the outbreak.
The future of California's super commuters
abc10
Driving from the valley to the Bay Area for work isn't a new concept. For many who can't afford to live where they work, a one-and-a-half to three-hour commute has become the norm. But is the commute really worth it?
Electric vehicles are very good for business, and the economy
The Drive In
Not everyone is enamored with electric vehicles (EVs). They are currently more expensive than internal combustion engines (ICEs), people are worried about limited range and there aren’t enough charging stations when and where you need them. And it can take a long time to recharge an EV battery.
WATER
Long-dry California starts March with mountain snow
Hanford Sentinel
Winter looked a lot more like itself in California’s mountains on Monday. Snow showers fell in the mountains of Southern California and some Sierra Nevada peaks sported new coats of white.
See also:
February ranked among the driest on record across California. Forecasters hopeful for a ‘miracle March’ Los Angeles Times
Dry California winter prompts wildfire and drought concerns Washington Post
Westlands Water District gets permanent U.S. contract for massive irrigation deliveries
Los Angeles Times
Gaining a permanent contract for so much cheap Central Valley Project water represents a major milestone for Westlands Water District, which supplies some of the state’s wealthiest growers and has long-standing ties to Interior Secretary David Bernhardt.
Water is life. It’s also a battle. So what does the future hold for California?
CalMatters
Scientists say climate change will bring more unpredictable weather, warmer winters and less snowpack in the mountains. These challenges and some ideas for remedies are outlined in a new plan, called the California Water Resilience Portfolio, released by Gov. Gavin Newsom in January to a mix of praise and disappointment.
See also:
Climate change and California’s water supply Los Angeles Daily News
Why the Big Drop in California’s Colorado River Water Use?
Public Policy Institute of California
In 2019, California’s use of the Colorado River—a major water source for Southern California’s cities and farms—dropped to the lowest level in decades.
“Xtra”
Eat at Lazy Dog this week to benefit Valley Children's Hospital
abc30
Lazy Dog is giving back to Valley Children's Hospital all week long, leading up to Kids Day. From March 2 to March 8, 15% of each bill will be donated to the hospital. Customers will have to bring in the fundraiser flyer to apply for the donation.
World's largest bounce house stops in Fresno for weekend fun
abc30
A company which touts the world's largest bounce house has set up shop for a weekend run at Granite Park. When The Big Bounce America beckons, you cannot resist. Colorful shapes and settings everywhere you look, especially when you're making your way through the massive bounce house.
Cars of movies, television on display at the California Auto Museum
Stockton Record
The specialty exhibit “Reel Cars: The Importance of Cars in Film” recently opened at the California Auto Museum in Sacramento, and runs through July 6.
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