POLICY & POLITICS
Regions Rise Together: building a plan for inclusive, sustainable growth across California
Press Enterprise
By many economic measures, California’s economy is booming. We are the fifth largest economy in the world. But this growth is not shared across the entire state. In fact, it’s heavily concentrated along our coast.
North SJ Valley:
Clean water crisis: Stanislaus County asks state to allow bottled water in hardship cases
Modesto Bee
Stanislaus County will ask the state to consider use of bottled water as a permanent alternative for small public water systems that are in violation of safe drinking water standards.
Atwater nearly declared bankruptcy seven years ago. Are things getting better?
Merced Sun-Star
An audit of Atwater’s spending shows its running deficit has improved in recent years, and officials say they plan to be fully out of debt spending by the end of the fiscal year.
A slain California cop, a single mom and costly education: How a lawmaker wants to help
Modesto Bee
Rep. Josh Harder, D-Modesto, wants to relieve financial fear for law enforcement families who worry how they’ll make ends meet after a death on duty. He’s submitting a bill that would expand educational grant opportunities for children of fallen cops.
Central SJ Valley:
Devin Nunes violated agreement to file lawsuits against Twitter in California, Twitter says
Fresno Bee
Twitter has filed to dismiss the lawsuit Rep. Devin Nunes filed against them, arguing Virginia does not have jurisdiction over the case and an agreement Nunes signed that said he had to file disputes against the company in San Francisco.
California Assemblyman Arambula takes stand, denies ever hitting his children
Fresno Bee
Assemblyman Joaquin Arambula testified in his own defense Tuesday morning as his misdemeanor child abuse trial nears its conclusion. During his time on the stand, he adamantly rejected both the prosecution’s and his own daughter’s versions of the events.
See also:
● Fresno Assemblyman admits harshest ever discipline, denies abuse abc30
● Lawmaker on trial for child cruelty denies hitting daughter Bakersfield Californian
Changes coming for Fresno County voters in next state election
abc30
Fresno County voters will notice a change in the next election. Tuesday, the Board of Supervisors approved spending $3 million in new voting machines and equipment, paid for by the state, with more money to come.
‘It’s absolutely broken’: Columnist and religious leader tackle politics at Fresno event
Fresno Bee
An event advertised as “no holds barred” discussion between nationally-syndicated columnist Ruben Navarrette and faith leader Rev. Dr. Samuel Rodriguez held true to its promise Tuesday morning at Fresno’s Peoples Church.
EDITORIAL: Hey Fresno, it’s 2019. It’s time to hire more women at City Hall
Fresno Bee
Having a supportive culture is critical, but more needs to be done. For starters, officials like Bredefeld should cool the rhetoric and own up to the data that reflect the reality of the workforce.
See also:
● Is Fresno run by ‘mediocre white guys’? Some think so. Here’s what numbers show Fresno Bee
South SJ Valley:
Assemblymember Salas Honors Blue Star Mothers at State Capitol
Hanford Sentinel
Assemblymember Rudy Salas (D-Bakersfield) and the State Assembly honored the California Blue Star Mothers on Monday during floor session with Assembly Concurrent Resolution (ACR) 29.
Could Bakersfield become a California boom town?
Curbed
Smith’s bet on Bakersfield represents a new era of development, however small, for this Central Valley city.
State:
Gov. Newsom aims to restore health insurance mandate
abc30
California Gov. Gavin Newsom has launched a statewide tour to promote his health care proposals, which include requiring everyone to purchase health insurance and offering subsidies to families of four with incomes as high as $150,000 a year.
See also:
● Newsom’s tough sell on healthcare: persuading public on fines for those without coverage Los Angeles Times
● Gov. Gavin Newsom pushes individual mandate for health insurance
Walters: Newsom must now deliver on promises
CALmatters
Gavin Newsom has spent the last four months telling Californians that he would cure some of California’s most pressing social ailments. Unusually, he has folded virtually all of his prescriptions for these societal ills into the state budget.
Census 2020: The push is on to count every head in California. The stakes are huge.
OC Register
Though the once-a-decade count is almost a year away, state workers and representatives from local governments – along with networks of non-profits, academia, corporate and multi-cultural organizations in Southern California – already are planning for it.
Federal:
Trade war, raised tariffs with China could impact CA economy
Sacramento Bee
China’s announcement Monday that it would raise tariffs on many American goods could have a significant impact on California’s economy, the latest federal data show.
See also:
● Trump tests the patience of his political allies in his approach to trade and tariffs Los Angeles Times
● Stocks rise, clawing back some of Monday’s trade-war-induced drop Los Angeles Times
● GOP senators raise alarms about trade war Stockton Record
● Tariffs explained: Who pays for them, how they work San Francisco Chronicle
● Economists: Tariffs Not Boosting GDP Fact Check
● Mnuchin: U.S. Is ‘Close to an Understanding with Mexico and Canada’ on Resolving Steel and Aluminum Tariffs Wall Street Journal
● EDITORIAL: Trump’s tit-for-tat trade war with China escalates again Los Angeles Times
Democrats demand Atty. Gen. William Barr hand over documents on Obamacare decision
Los Angeles Times
House Democrats are demanding Atty. Gen. William Barr hand over documentation behind the Trump administration’s decision not to defend the Affordable Care Act in court — and threatening to use their subpoena power if the administration does not comply.
Elections 2020:
Kamala Harris will call for a ban on importing AR-15-style assault weapons
Los Angeles Times
Kamala Harris wants to ban the importation of AR-15-style assault weapons by executive action if elected president. On Wednesday, the Democratic senator and presidential candidate from California will detail her proposal.
Ocasio-Cortez Decries Biden ‘Middle-Of-The-Road Approach’ On Climate Change
Capital Public Radio
“I will be damned if the same politicians who refused to act then are going to try to come back today and say we need to find a middle-of-the-road approach to save our lives,” the congresswoman said.
Republican attacks on state voting-rights victories threaten our democracy
Los Angeles Times
One of the most under-covered stories of 2019 is the determination of Republican state legislatures to roll back hard-fought historic voting-rights victories and place entirely new roadblocks between citizens and their government.
2020 Democrats court teachers galvanized by protest movement
Politico
The wooing of America’s teachers is fully underway in the early presidential battleground states as Democratic candidates work to capture the support of a core party constituency energized by widespread strikes and unrest.
Key dates on the presidential election calendar
Los Angeles Times
The first Democratic Party primary debates, scheduled for late June, might serve as the official 2020 election kickoff for the more than 20 candidates seeking the party’s nomination for president.
Other:
The Next Frontier in the Privacy Debate: Your Flight
Wall Street Journal
Red and green lights show passengers where to find overhead bin space. Sensors tip off flight attendants to which seats aren’t upright and whose seat belt isn’t fastened. Airlines track how much you sleep, how much you’re out of your seat, what you watch and what you eat.
EDITORIAL: Time to hang up the NSA’s phone records program
Los Angeles Times
A surveillance program that allows the U.S. government to comb through hundreds of millions of Americans’ telephone records in search of connections to terrorism could soon be a thing of the past. That would be good news for personal privacy and responsible intelligence-gathering.
EDITORIAL: Liberals Who Cry Roe
Wall Street Journal
Who would have thought that a Supreme Court ruling in an interstate tax dispute would devolve into a brawl over abortion politics? Such are our political times as the four liberal Justices on Monday chided their conservative colleagues.
Brookings remembers Alice Rivlin, economic policy trailblazer and devoted civil servant
Brookings
The Brookings Institution today honors and remembers Alice M. Rivlin, a trailblazer in the field of economic policy and a civil servant of unparalleled devotion. Rivlin was a cherished member of the Brookings community for more than sixty years.
Brookings
It’s worth recalling how important socialism once was at the ballot box to understand that this tradition has deeper roots in our history than many imagine.
AGRICULTURE/FOOD
Upcoming series of storms causes concern for farmers.
abc30
Spring sunshine will soon give way to cloudy skies with rain and thunderstorms for the Central Valley.
Impossible Foods warns of possible Impossible Burger shortage
Mercury News
What will it take for Impossible Foods to make good on its promise to supply 7,200 Burger Kings with meatless patties by year’s end — all while keeping existing customers well-stocked? A major expansion at its Oakland plant that will double capacity.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE / FIRE / PUBLIC SAFETY
Crime:
Most urban California counties saw fewer arrests in 2016. But not Fresno County
Fresno Bee
While most California urban centers reported a relatively low crime rate, Fresno County stood as an outlier, with nearly double the rate of reported arrests than other populous counties.
See also:
● California’s Central Valley is no stranger to crime. Stanislaus, other counties had high arrest rates Modesto Bee
● Is crime lower in Sacramento? Neighboring rural counties saw many more arrests Sacramento Bee
CDCR to release more than 100 inmates in Bakersfield on Thursday
Bakersfield Californian
The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation is releasing up to 120 inmates into Bakersfield on Thursday for transportation to other areas of the state.
Public Safety:
Diocese of Fresno among 6 to start fund for abuse victims. Some call it ‘suspicious’
Fresno Bee
The Diocese of Fresno, along with five other Catholic dioceses, is slated to start a new compensation fund for victims of sex abuse that will be operated independently from the church, officials announced Tuesday.
See also:
● Catholic dioceses unveil independently run program offering financial compensation to victims of church sexual abuse Bakersfield Californian
● California Catholic Diocese Set Up Program To Compensate Victims Of Clergy Sexual Abuse Capital Public Radio
EDITORIAL: Depressing, exploitative and sick: Welcome to the Sheriff Jones reality show
Sacramento Bee
Scott Jones, the former GOP congressional candidate currently serving as Sacramento County sheriff, has a new job: television producer. Netflix viewers saw the debut of “Jailbirds,” a Netflix TV “reality” show about women in the Sacramento County Jail.
Fire:
Two County Fire Stations To Be Closed In The Mountain Area
Sierra News
The Madera County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously today to close two county fire stations and consolidate staff and equipment with others nearby. Madera County Fire Station 16 in Ahwahnee will be closed, as will Station 17 in O’Neals.
‘Significant damage’ from Sacramento Blue Diamond plant fire. Will almond prices skyrocket?
Sacramento Bee
Officials at Blue Diamond Growers were still assessing the damage done to the cooperative’s Sacramento manufacturing facility after a four-alarm blaze there late Monday that sent two workers to a local hospital.
EDITORIAL: Does Oakdale needs its own fire department?
Modesto Bee
The demise of the arrangement providing fire protection to Oakdale and surrounding rural areas for the past five years seems like bad news. But that unraveling could prove to be a blessing in disguise for people who live there if an even better partnership arises.
ECONOMY / JOBS
Economy:
Trade war, raised tariffs with China could impact CA economy
Sacramento Bee
China’s announcement Monday that it would raise tariffs on many American goods could have a significant impact on California’s economy, the latest federal data show.
See also:
● Trump tests the patience of his political allies in his approach to trade and tariffs Los Angeles Times
● Stocks rise, clawing back some of Monday’s trade-war-induced drop Los Angeles Times
● GOP senators raise alarms about trade war Stockton Record
● Tariffs explained: Who pays for them, how they work San Francisco Chronicle
● Economists: Tariffs Not Boosting GDP Fact Check
● Mnuchin: U.S. Is ‘Close to an Understanding with Mexico and Canada’ on Resolving Steel and Aluminum Tariffs Wall Street Journal
● EDITORIAL: Trump’s tit-for-tat trade war with China escalates again Los Angeles Times
CALmatters
Unlike in 38 other states, charging a triple-digit interest rate on many consumer loans is legal in California, in the state’s rapidly growing market for “subprime” consumer credit.
Regions Rise Together: building a plan for inclusive, sustainable growth across California
Press Enterprise
By many economic measures, California’s economy is booming. We are the fifth largest economy in the world. But this growth is not shared across the entire state. In fact, it’s heavily concentrated along our coast.
EDITORIAL: The Supreme Court allows a crucial antitrust test against Apple
San Francisco Chronicle
On Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that consumers can pursue a long-running antitrust case against Apple that claims the Cupertino-based technology giant has illegally monopolized the market for iPhone app sales.
Jobs:
Fresno company allowed harassment of Hispanic workers, lawsuit alleged. Now they’ve settled
Fresno Bee
Papé Material Handling has settled a federal lawsuit filed on behalf of Hispanic employees at the company’s Fresno location who alleged that they were victims of harassment based on their ethnicity.
Job seekers get face time with employers at Westside job fair
abc30
Dressed for success, job seekers on the West Side were able to apply for more than 20 different careers at the first Westside job fair. Associate Dean Bertha Felix-Mata says they created the event so the community could take advantage of the opportunity that’s right in their backyard.
Uber Drivers Are Contractors, Not Employees, Labor Board Says
New York Times
The National Labor Relations Board, handing an important victory to Uber, has concluded that the company’s drivers are contractors, not employees.
EDUCATION
K-12:
You can vote for a Fresno-Clovis teacher to win a smile makeover
abc30
A local orthodontist needs your help deciding which deserving teacher will win a new smile. Nalchajian Orthodontics is offering free braces to one teacher in the Fresno-Clovis area who goes above and beyond for their students in an effort to say thanks for all they do.
Visalia Times Delta
There are several misunderstandings when it comes to Visalia Unified School District’s implementation of Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports (PBIS). It’s not a discipline system. There are consequences when students misbehave, administrators said.
California schools haven’t fully embraced laws protecting LGBTQ kids, study shows
CALmatters
California has adopted more than a half-dozen laws intended to prevent bullying, strengthen suicide prevention and cultivate inclusive learning environments for LGBTQ students in the state’s public schools. But school districts are implementing these new laws inconsistently.
Balancing School Choice and Equity: An International Perspective Based on Pisa
OECD
Many countries are struggling to reconcile greater flexibility in school choice with the need to ensure quality, equity and coherence in their school systems.
Higher Ed:
Fresno State celebrates its largest graduating class ever
Porterville Recorder
Fresno State will graduate its largest class in history with more than 6,200 students meeting requirements. University officials say about 62 percent of the graduating students in the class of 2019 are first-generation students whose parents didn’t receive bachelor’s degrees.
Before Graduating This Week, Fresno State Humanics Students Pay It Forward
VPR
Fresno State’s Humanics Program teaches students about philanthropy, leadership and how to run a CBO. Yesterday was the annual Students4Giving presentation — students awarded three $5,000 grants to CBOs in the Central Valley.
Union can represent fellows and residents at UC Davis Health, California labor board says
Sacramento Bee
California’s Public Employment Relations Board has certified that the Committee of Interns and Residents can represent roughly 800 fellows and residents at UC Davis Health in collective bargaining with management.
Don’t just give money to your college of choice, donate some free speech backbone
Los Angeles Times
A specter is haunting American college campuses — the specter of social justice hysteria. Time after time, at one institution after another, students hound speakers, disrupt discussions, persecute instructors, occupy buildings — and face few, if any, consequences.
ENVIRONMENT/ ENERGY
Environment:
Weakling or bully? The battle over the CEQA, the state’s iconic environmental law
CALmatters
CEQA is characterized as a litigation lever that allows citizens—and even labor unions and business rivals—to sue or threaten to sue, obstructing direly needed housing projects on thin environmental pretenses.
CO2 levels rise to highest point since human existence
abc30
According to data from the Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii, the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere is over 415 parts per million (ppm), far higher than any point in the last 800,000 years.
Atmospheric Rivers Are Back. That’s Not a Bad Thing.
New York Times
These swings — between heavy rain and raging wildfires — are forcing policymakers and residents to rethink their relationship with the weather.
Energy:
California May Go Dark This Summer, and Most Aren’t Ready
Bloomberg
A plan by California’s biggest utility to cut power on high-wind days during the onrushing wildfire season could plunge millions of residents into darkness. And most people aren’t ready.
President Trump Touts His Rollback of Environmental Policies in an Energy State
New York Times
President Trump boasted Tuesday about his administration’s actions like approving oil pipelines, withdrawing from the Paris climate accord and opening up Arctic drilling that he said have resulted in an “American energy revolution.”
HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES
Health:
Hollywood deaths bring strokes into focus. What are the numbers in Merced County?
Merced Sun-Star
The recent deaths of two well-known and relatively young Hollywood celebrities have placed stroke in the spotlight, and Merced is at the center of the deadly disease.
Your Questions About Measles And Vaccinations In California, Answered
Capital Public Radio
Do adults need measles booster shots? Can infants be vaccinated? And what’s a vaccine injury? We asked for your questions about the California measles outbreak. Here’s what we found out.
See also:
● No Religious Exemptions From Vaccines Wall Street Journal
Opioid prescriptions drop sharply among California state workers, CalPERS says
Sacramento Bee
The agency that manages health care for California’s massive state workforce is reporting a major reduction in opioid prescriptions, reflecting a national trend of physicians cutting back on the addictive drugs.
America’s baby bust continued in 2018 with record-low birth rates, CDC says
Los Angeles Times
Birth rates for for American women in their teens and 20s reached record lows in 2018, leading to the fewest babies in 32 years, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
U.S. Births Fall to Lowest Level Since 1980s
Wall Street Journal
The number of babies born in the U.S. last year fell to a 32-year low, deepening a fertility slump that is reshaping America’s future workforce.
To reduce dementia risk, eating well and exercising do more than puzzles and pills
Los Angeles Times
If you want to save your brain from the ravages of dementia, keep the rest of your body well with exercise and healthy habits rather than relying on vitamins or other pills, according to new guidelines from the World Health Organization.
EDITORIAL: Roundup of Cancer Evidence
Wall Street Journal
A California jury awarded a stunning $2.055 billion Monday to a couple who claim that Bayer AG’s Roundup weed killer caused their cancer. But would the judgment have been different if the judge had allowed the jury to see contradictory evidence?
Human Services:
Gov. Newsom aims to restore health insurance mandate
abc30
California Gov. Gavin Newsom has launched a statewide tour to promote his health care proposals, which include requiring everyone to purchase health insurance and offering subsidies to families of four with incomes as high as $150,000 a year.
See also:
● Newsom’s tough sell on healthcare: persuading public on fines for those without coverage Los Angeles Times
● Gov. Gavin Newsom pushes individual mandate for health insurance San Francisco Chronicle
Modesto group has a gift for the dying, the seriously ill and their families
Modesto Bee
Through their beautiful voices and a unique repertoire of songs, the Modesto Threshold Singers left feelings of peace, comfort and — in an environment that will take all it can get — even joy.
Wary of Medicare for all, Democrats seek easier paths to universal coverage
Los Angeles Times
Wary of the political risks and practical difficulties of Medicare-for-all proposals that would move every American into a government health plan, Democrats increasingly are embracing more modest plans to use Medicare to expand insurance coverage.
See also:
● Medicare Isn’t All It’s Cracked Up to Be Wall Street Journal
This Teen From A Small Town Turns Her Mother’s Quest for Cancer Care Into a Podcast
VPR
Megan Tucker is a a sophomore at El Diamante High School in Visalia. Her podcast is called “The Lack of Specialized Health Care in Small Towns.”
IMMIGRATION
Public Policy Institute of California
California has more immigrants than any other state. California is home to almost 11 million immigrants—about a quarter of the foreign-born population nationwide.
See also:
● Immigrants and Education in California Public Policy Institute of California
Border wall to go up in national monument, wildlife refuge
Bakersfield Californian
The U.S. government plans on replacing barriers through 100 miles (161 kilometers) of the southern border in California and Arizona, including through a national monument and a wildlife refuge, according to documents and environmental advocates.
GOP senators question immigration plan presented by Jared Kushner
Los Angeles Times
An attempt by presidential senior advisor and son-in-law Jared Kushner to win support for a White House immigration plan produced uncertain results Tuesday as Republican senators raised questions.
See also:
● Still no public timeline for Jared Kushner immigration plan Wall Street Journal
LAND USE/HOUSING
Land Use:
Clovis group buys Redondo Beach apartments for $53.5M
Business Journal
A Clovis-based real estate investment group announced the purchase of a Redondo Beach apartment building for $53.5 million. IDEAL Capital Group purchased the 82,203 square-foot, 105-unit Novella Apartments in the South Bay region of Los Angeles.
Could Bakersfield become a California boom town?
Curbed
Smith’s bet on Bakersfield represents a new era of development, however small, for this Central Valley city.
Housing:
Clovis City council postpones decision in housing legislation discussion
Clovis Roundup
The Clovis City Council discussed a policy direction regarding housing legislation at its council meeting on Monday, May 13, but decided to wait before taking a position.
It was a burned-out, vacant store. Soon, Fresno families will live there
Fresno Bee
By next year, a corner in southwest Fresno where a vacant, burned-out convenience store once stood will be home to four families with young children who will help build their new homes themselves.
Capital Public Radio
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s focus on short-term, emergency aid was questioned by some advocates who said more funding is needed for permanent housing for homeless individuals.
PUBLIC FINANCES
CalPERS projecting health insurance increases. One plan could rise 24%
Sacramento Bee
The premiums state workers and retired public employees pay for CalPERS health insurance are projected to go up 7.2 percent on average next year, with premiums for specific plans increasing as much as 24 percent, according to preliminary estimates published Tuesday.
TRANSPORTATION
Big changes could be in store for California DMV
abc30
Big changes could be in the near future for DMV customers. In a 110 page report sent to lawmakers, the department outlines ways to address customer service, long wait times, better training and restructuring.
Stockton airport officials looking to add new flights, destinations
Stockton Record
Officials at Stockton Metropolitan Airport are hoping to add more flights and destinations outside California in the near future.
Price: We’re the state’s hotbed of disabled parking violations
Bakersfield Californian
If you live in Bakersfield, though, you’re almost twice as likely as drivers statewide to tell yourself this: Ha! I’ve got grandpa’s disabled placard. He’s not using it, so I will. Which, of course, would be illegal.
More California Cities Could Start Collecting Ride Data From Bike And E-scooter Companies
Capital Public Radio
Some cities — like Sacramento and Los Angeles — already plan to collect this data, and a bill in the Legislature could expand the practice.
Polls show support for Caltrain sales tax in 2020, but is it enough?
San Francisco Chronicle
Caltrain, in the midst of electrifying its trains, building safer crossings and trying to reach the Transbay Transit Center, is now contemplating a 2020 sales tax measure to help pay for those projects along with more frequent, faster and longer trains.
Could Trump’s Tweets Stall High-Speed Rail in California?
San Jose Inside
The Federal Rail Administration (FRA) has refused to meet with the California High-Speed Rail Authority following a series of tweets from President Donald Trump in which he threatened to pull federal funding for the project.
Despite Missteps, High-Speed Rail Lines in 3 States Point to Progress
Governing
The projects in California, Florida and Texas differ quite a bit from one another in size, scope and funding sources. But each one of those projects seems to be moving forward despite significant obstacles, something many rail proponents see as as a promising sign.
Digital billboards on top of rideshare vehicles? No thanks
Los Angeles Times
As if drivers needed another distraction. A tech startup called Firefly has rolled out yet another shiny object: flashing digital signs affixed to the roofs of private vehicles being used for Uber and Lyft ride-hailing services.
WATER
Clean water crisis: Stanislaus County asks state to allow bottled water in hardship cases
Modesto Bee
Stanislaus County will ask the state to consider use of bottled water as a permanent alternative for small public water systems that are in violation of safe drinking water standards.
Valley Water’s farm subsidy to remain, for now
Mercury News
The district will put off changes to a subsidy for farm water for two years while it looks for other money to keep funding it.
New currents of cooperation on California’s wicked water problems
CALmatters
Difficult negotiations on how to efficiently and fairly share water among farmers, cities including San Francisco, and fish and wildlife have been underway since 2012 with little resolution in sight—until the Newsom administration came on board.
EDITORIAL: The Cadiz project to drain the desert is a bad idea
Los Angeles Times
There’s a tiny green patch of Mojave Desert, past Barstow but before Needles, north of Joshua Tree National Park and south of the Mojave National Preserve, where groundwater pumped from an aquifer under the arid landscape irrigates several hundred acres of crops.
“Xtra”
Free sandwiches: Ike’s is opening its second Fresno shop this week
Fresno Bee
Ike’s Love & Sandwiches will hold a grand opening for its second Fresno location Friday, May 17 – and there’s free sandwiches and trivia involved. The popular San Francisco-based chain had fans in Fresno before it even opened its first location here.
See also:
● New Ike’s Love & Sandwiches offering free food on Friday Business Journal
Celebrate National Geek Pride Day early with a comic pub crawl through Tower District
Fresno Bee
You can celebrate with the Comic Crawl 2019 Friday night in Fresno’s Tower District. A dozen bars and restaurants will be open to participants, who are encouraged to dress as a superhero/villain, sci-fi, horror or action character.
At long last, Turlock’s Ten Pin Fun Center is open and ready to entertain you
Modesto Bee
It’s ready, set, bowl — and game and eat and drink and generally party at Turlock’s new Ten Pin Fun Center. The $18 million family entertainment center opened its doors to the public Tuesday morning as part of a soft open in advance of its grand opening festivities this weekend.
Yosemite just got a quad-busting 94-mile hiking route
San Francisco Chronicle
At its core, the Yosemite High Route is a 94-mile-long, off-trail route buried deep in the park’s scenic backcountry.
EDITORIAL: Amgen a tour de force for Stockton
Stockton Record
It has been quite a week for Wes Rhea and the staff at Visit Stockton. On Friday, the organization hosted the second annual Feast at the Fox. On Monday, it hosted a reception for the Amgen Tour of California professional cycling race.