POLICY & POLITICS
Valley:
'Three billboards outside Fresno' say Nunes cares more about DC than the Valley
Fresno Bee
In a nod to last year's "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri,” Fight Back California's campaign targets Nunes, who represents parts of Tulare and Fresno counties.
See also:
● Devin Nunes wants to run an intel operation for the White House — against our intelligence agencies NBC
● Top Dem points to Trump, Devin Nunes for possibly breaking federal law in FBI informant disclosure Washington Examiner
● Justice Department and FBI Brief Lawmakers on Trump Campaign Informant Wall Street Journal
Ivanka heading to California to fundraise with Kevin McCarthy
Politico
Ivanka will appear with McCarthy on June 18 in Fresno and Los Angeles. The events will benefit Protect the House, the joint-fundraising committee McCarthy started with VP Mike Pence.
See also:
● Ivanka to hit the campaign trail with McCarthy in California The Hill
EDITORIAL: Choices clear for voters in San Joaquin
Modesto Bee
Voters face some important choices on June 5. They must elect a sheriff and a county supervisor. In both cases, we believe the choices are clear.
State:
California’s ‘Top-Two’ Primary: Here’s How It All Works
New York Times
The highest-stakes midterm election in a long time is causing all sorts of angst for Democrats and Republicans in California. And that’s in no small part because of what is known as the jungle primary.
See also:
● Quinn: The 2018 Primary – First Look at Voter Turnout Fox & Hounds
● “We’re Number 2!” Fox & Hounds
● ‘That Danger Is Real’ — Democrats’ Final Push to Avoid Shutout in Key California Races Roll Call
● Could Negative Campaigning in California Primaries Dampen Democratic Energy? Roll Call
● Villaraigosa campaign accuses Newsom's backers of foul play in California governor's race Los Angeles Times
● California GOP candidates pressure other Republicans to drop out San Francisco Chronicle
● Travis Allen hopes voter anger over the gas tax will propel him from GOP backbencher to governor Los Angeles Times
● Cox Urges GOP Unity In Ca Governor Race After Trump Endorses Sacramento Bee
● Trump helps John Cox, for now CALmatters
● Top California Republican urges Travis Allen to endorse rival John Cox San Francisco Chronicle
● New poll suggests it's too late for the other candidates to catch up: Gavin Newsom and John Cox have commanding leads in governor's race San Diego Union-Tribune
Cutting Through Fog of Polls: The Key Takeaways
Calbuzz
At a time when polling in California is more muddled and uncertain than ever, there’s only one important known unknown in campaigns for statewide office following the two most recent public surveys: Who will come in second in the governor’s race in the prelim June 5 election?
See also:
● CA120: What's wrong with public polling? Capitol Weekly
● The California Media’s Unceasing (and Unacknowledged) Voter Suppression Campaign Fox & Hounds
CALmatters
Competitive congressional districts across Southern California are packed with qualified, enthusiastic and well-financed candidates touting progressive policies and promising stiff resistance to President Trump’s agenda.
See also:
● Google employees are spending heavily to elect Democrats in California and to flip the House CNBC
● Could Negative Campaigning in California Primaries Dampen Democratic Energy? Roll Call
Kevin de León's plan to take on Dianne Feinstein starts with finishing second
Los Angeles Times
Faced with that daunting prospect, the Los Angeles Democrat de León has a different goal for the June 5 primary: win enough votes for a second-place finish. Under California's unique primary rules, De León simply has to outpace the other 30 people on the ballot.
See also:
● 'Medicare at 55' now on Dianne Feinstein's agenda Sacramento Bee
EDITORIAL: Pouring a little rain on Prop 68’s parade; but most others should pass
Modesto Bee
We won’t recommend a “no” vote on Proposition 68. But we will recommend that voters consider what they’re getting if they vote yes. And they should remember what they didn’t get with Proposition 1.
Federal:
Collapse of Trump-Kim summit threatens to deepen U.S.-China rift
Reuters
U.S. President Donald Trump’s cancellation of a summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un threatens further strain on U.S.-China ties amid a trade dispute that had been intertwined with Beijing’s pressure on isolated Pyongyang.
Scott Pruitt Twice Introduced Anti-Abortion Bills Giving Men ‘Property Rights’ Over Fetuses
Huffington Post
Before he was Trump’s embattled EPA chief, Pruitt was a state politician who backed draconian abortion restrictions.
Other:
The Real Constitutional Crisis
Wall Street Journal
Media howls are a diversion from the actual crisis: the Justice Department’s unprecedented contempt for duly elected representatives, and the lasting harm it is doing to law enforcement and to the department’s relationship with Congress.
EDITORIAL: Amazon, Google must come clean about privacy intrusions
San Francisco Chronicle
Technology giants, including Amazon and Google, are accustomed to maintaining a certain level of secrecy. But that’s not going to work when it comes to the growing amount of work they do for and with public agencies.
MADDY INSTITUTE PUBLIC POLICY PROGRAMMING
Sunday, May 27, at 5 p.m. on ABC 30 – Maddy Report: “Candidate for Governor: John Chiang” – Guest: John Chiang, State Treasurer and Candidate for Governor. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.
Sunday, May 27, at 10 a.m. on Newstalk 580AM/105.9FM (KMJ) – Maddy Report - Valley Views Edition: “Gubernatorial Candidate John Chiang and California's Future” – Guests: State Treasurer John Chiang and PPIC Experts: Sarah Bohn, Alvar Escriva-Bou, Paul Warren, Magnus Lofstrom and Brandon Martin. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.
Sunday, May 27, at 7:30 a.m. on UniMas 61 (KTTF) – El Informe Maddy: “Fighting Fire with Fire: Rethinking forest management” – Guest: Little Hoover Commission Representative, Julissa Delgado. Host: Maddy Institute Program Coordinator, Maria Jeans.
Support the Maddy Daily HERE.
Thank you!
AGRICULTURE/FOOD
CNBC
California is pushing for a reduction in greenhouse gases generated from cows, and adding seaweed to the cattle's feed shows promise in reducing potent methane emissions by more than 30 percent, researchers said this week.
What will we eat in 2050? California farmers are placing bets.
Grist
From the vineyards of the north coast to the orange groves of Southern California, farmers have been reeling from the weird weather.
Recreational pot vendors don't need to keep your personal info. But they do anyway
Fresno Bee
California recreational marijuana dispensaries are collecting customers' personal information – including government identification documents as well as what products they buy – even though the record keeping is not part of Proposition 64, the state law voters approved in November 2016.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE / FIRE / PUBLIC SAFETY
Crime:
Mexican Mafia sweep may not help fight gangs, decrease crime
Visalia Times-Delta
Wednesday morning, 500 law enforcement officers took to the streets of Los Angeles County in search of Mexican Mafia gang members.
CCSPCA files charges against Fresno County 'no kill' rescue group for neglecting nearly 400 animals
ABC 30
The Central California SPCA has announced they have filed charges against a Fresno county no-kill shelter for neglecting dogs, livestock, and equines who were suffering from a variety of medical conditions and lacked basic care.
Bill banning ‘prosecution fees’ unanimously passes California Assembly
Desert Sun
Following an investigation into a controversial method of pursuing code and ordinance violations, state lawmakers are working to outlaw the practice that led to enormous legal fees demanded of residents and paid to a private law firm, on top of the actual fines for the violation.
Los Angeles Times
Facebook and other social media companies should turn over users' public communications to criminal defendants in response to subpoenas, the California Supreme Court decided unanimously Thursday.
See also:
● Defenders may use public social media posts in trial, court says Associated Press
Misconduct settlements involving state judges will now be public
San Diego Union-Tribune
In a unanimous vote, the Judicial Council adopted a change to its rule, making records of financial settlements using public funds open to the public. The change further specifies that the names of judges involved in the settlements can’t be withheld.
EDITORIAL: Fixing some of California's tough-on-crime mistakes of the past
Los Angeles Times
In his second go-round, both Brown and the Legislature have been trying to make amends for the prison growth and over-incarceration that they helped to set in motion. Lawmakers are considering two bills to undo some of the enhancement excesses.
Public Safety:
Headed for high-flowing Stanislaus this weekend? Stop by fire station for life jacket
Modesto Bee
The Stanislaus River continues to run strong as Memorial Day approaches, prompting safety warnings for visitors — and a reminder about free life jackets.
Reinvest in troubled youth in California
San Francisco Chronicle
California’s seemingly perennial problem with youth incarceration is rooted in the everyday decision-making of its 58 counties.
Fire:
Firefighter discipline spikes at Cal Fire
The Fresno Bee
A new professional standards program at Cal Fire is giving the department a mechanism to hand down discipline in a consistent manner across the state for the first time in its history.
Gov. Brown's wildfire plan will only make things worse
Los Angeles Times
Responding to the tragic losses of homes and lives in wildland fires in California over the past year, Gov. Jerry Brown announced a "major offensive" against fire, in the form of a "Forest Carbon Plan."
ECONOMY / JOBS
Economy:
Most Californians back easing Prop. 13 to raise property taxes on businesses, poll finds
Los Angeles Times
A majority of California voters back a potential 2020 ballot measure that would increase property taxes on businesses, according to a new USC Dornsife/Los Angeles Times poll.
EDITORIAL: The tax increase California Republicans aren’t talking about
Sacramento Bee
California Republicans can’t stop talking about the state gas tax increase and how it’s supposedly hurting their constituents. But they’re somehow silent about the Trump-GOP tax law that will increase federal income taxes on 1 million Californians next year.
Wall Street Journal
President Trump wants everyone to know he is a master trade negotiator, but this week his volleys look more like a mess than mastery. His new threat to impose a 25% tariff on auto imports undercuts his foreign policy and economic goals.
Wall Street Journal
Headlines portray Congress as a swamp of dysfunction, but the House on Tuesday showed that the parties and chambers can work together by passing a bipartisan Senate banking reform.
EDITORIAL: Hits & Misses: Downtown merchants hurt by street closures
Bakersfield Californian
It’s commendable that Bakersfield and its residents sponsor commemorations, such as the Day of Prayer, in the heart of the city. But the impacts road closures have on already struggling downtown businesses should not be ignored.
Jobs:
Is California’s high cost of housing cost scaring off job seekers?
CALmatters
Plenty of workers still move West each year for a new job in California. But the state’s high cost of housing may be deterring many other job seekers from moving into the state.
EDITORIAL: Forced arbitration hides workplace abuses. No one should forfeit rights for a job
Sacramento Bee
Nobody takes a job expecting to sue their employer. But sometimes the boss takes advantage. Unfortunately, going to court isn’t an option for tens of millions of people, thanks to the rise of mandatory arbitration agreements as a condition of employment.
California's Heavy-Handed Plan to Regulate the Self-Driving Car Biz
Wired
Just over an hour into Tuesday’s California Public Utilities Commission public meeting on the future of self-driving taxis, the machines took over.
EDUCATION
K-12:
VUSD boundary lines spark debate between parents, administrators
Visalia Times-Delta
Boundary lines for northwest Visalia's newest elementary school won't be as easy as drawing a circle around the campus' nearest neighborhoods.
Candidates for California schools' chief vow to wield more influence—but for what?
CALmatters
Most voters are unfamiliar with the state’s superintendent for public instruction, even though the public has selected one at the polls every four years since the Gold Rush.
Higher Ed:
CSUB President Mitchell gets CSU president emeritus title
Bakersfield Californian
The award, given to outgoing Cal State Bakersfield President Horace Mitchell, is given to CSU presidents as a reflection of their many years of service to students, faculty and staff.
UC regents approve leaner budget for Janet Napolitano
Los Angeles Times
University of California regents on Thursday unanimously approved a leaner, more transparent budget for President Janet Napolitano, moving to address political criticism over the system's central office operations.
New funding formula for California community colleges will help students succeed
Sacramento Bee
It can be easy to get lost in the numbers when discussing Gov. Jerry Brown’s proposal to improve the way the state supports its 114 community colleges. But this is about fixing an outdated funding system that has not always served students well.
Be more like Chipotle, Jerry Brown tells California universities
Sacramento Bee
Brown has repeatedly prodded the state's public universities, particularly California State University, to improve their graduation rates. He said Wednesday that if they adopted a "limited-menu concept, everyone would graduate on time."
See also:
● California Gov. Jerry Brown Says Universities Could Take A Lesson From Chipotle capradio.org
● Klein: Why the governor’s race is suddenly all about California’s schools Sacramento Bee
Trump’s Crackdown on Students Who Overstay Visas Rattles Higher Education
New York Times
The Trump administration plans to crack down on international students and visitors who overstay their visas, stoking fears in the higher education community that President Trump’s aggressive immigration policies will hinder university efforts to attract the brightest minds from overseas
ENVIRONMENT/ ENERGY
Environment:
California Air-Quality Official Takes a Swipe at Trump
Bloomberg
California’s top air-quality official disputed the Trump administration’s description of a meeting about the future of fuel economy standards, suggesting it was actually a dud.
Growth in Domestic Oil and Natural Gas Poses New Policy Issues
Roll Call
With the U.S. flush with supplies of oil and natural gas over the past few years, Congress has permitted the export of domestic oil and raided the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to reduce the budget deficit and offset costs of unrelated legislation
California Black Bears Are On The Move
California Department of Fish & Wildlife
As a reminder, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife encourages people to help reduce unwanted encounters with this large mammal by being “bear aware.”
See also:
● Black bear killed on Lake County highway The Press Democrat
Once Seen as Useless, Ecologists Now Fight to Restore California's Chaparral
KQED
When the Spaniards arrived in Southern California, the native landscape reminded them of the oak woodlands back in Spain -- full of lush, impenetrable and dense vegetation. They called it "chaparro," which eventually morphed into what we call it today, "chaparral."
The Places in the U.S. Where Disaster Strikes Again and Again
New York Times
About 90 percent of the total losses across the United States occurred in ZIP codes that contain less than 20 percent of the population, according to an analysis of data from the Small Business Administration.
Energy:
Is California's solar mandate a good move?
San Diego Union-Tribune
While encouraging the use of renewable energy is definitely an admirable goal I am equally concerned about the added cost of housing in our region.
Clean Energy Money From Cap-And-Trade Continues To Roll In To California
California’s cap-and-trade program generated almost $700 million for the state in the last quarter, the latest strong showing for a key climate change program that was faltering until last year.
See also:
● California Raises $681 Million From Quarterly Carbon Auction Associated Press
HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES
Health:
California Insurance Exchange Wants To Curb C-Sections
CBS Sacramento
California’s health insurance exchange is looking to curb what it says are costly and risky births in the state.
See also:
● ‘Time’s Up’: Covered California Takes Aim At Hospital C-Section Rates Washington Post
Deaths from fentanyl surge to record 746 in California
San Francisco Chronicle
The spike in fentanyl deaths stands out because the number of deaths in California from opioid overdoses overall actually fell slightly, from 2,031 in 2016 to 1,882 in 2017. That is the lowest number of opioid overdose deaths the state has seen since 2011.
New Push to Topple Affordable Care Act Looms
Wall Street Journal
A group of Republicans and advocacy groups will soon release a proposal intended to spark another push to repeal the Affordable Care Act, resurrecting a potentially volatile issue in the months before the November midterm elections.
It’s Time for Democrats to Turn the Tables on Health Care
Slate
Democrats running this year should focus not only on rebutting Republican attacks on the ACA, but on bolder health care reforms.
Human Services:
State denies $22M for Tulare hospital reopening
Visalia Times-Delta
The California Assembly Subcommittee on Health and Human Services denied a request from Devon Mathis (R-Visalia) for $22 million in emergency cash to get the hospital to reopen.
California Supreme Court overturns killer's death sentence, citing intellectual disability
Los Angeles Times
An inmate who has been on California's death row for more than two decades may not be executed because he is intellectually disabled, the California Supreme Court decided unanimously Thursday
Los Angeles Times
Dr. William Edwin Gray III, a homeopathic doctor, sells these so-called eRemedies, which promise that audio recordings can cure dozens of ailments — among them diarrhea, anxiety, labor pains, malaria, even a pet's infection.
Why States Worry That 'Association Health Plans' Will Be Magnets for Scam Artists | ||
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EDITORIAL: California should fight the good fight against bad health insurance policies
Los Angeles Times
California lawmakers are considering a bill that would ban so-called junk health insurance policies — short-term plans that do not comply with the consumer protections set out in Obamacare.
IMMIGRATION
Supervisors oppose sanctuary status, residents scorn them
Visalia Times-Delta
Count the Tulare County Board of Supervisors among those who oppose State Bill 54, known as the California Values Act.
‘We’re closed!’: Trump vents his anger over immigration at Homeland Security secretary
Washington Post
President Trump began berating Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen in the Oval Office earlier this spring, according to administration officials, griping about her performance and blaming her for a surge in illegal border crossings.
See also:
● Border Patrol union calls Trump's National Guard deployment 'colossal waste' Los Angeles Times
● Donald Trump made 8 misleading claims about immigration on Fox and Friends Politifact
Moderate Republicans pushing for immigration vote give leaders until June 7 to reach a deal
Los Angeles Times
Moderate Republicans are giving their colleagues until June 7 to find a legislative fix for the legal status of people brought to the country illegally as children, or they will try to use a special process to force a vote over the GOP leaders' objections, Rep. Jeff Denham (R-Turlock) said Thursday.
See also:
Immigration Discharge Petition Will Get Final Signatures, Deputy GOP Whip Says Roll Call
Explaining House Republicans’ fight over immigration
Brookings
Sarah Binder breaks down the key issues, congressional procedures, and political dynamics involved in the immigration battle that nearly came to a head this week between centrist and conservative House Republicans.
See also:
● Immigration Discharge Petition Will Get Final Signatures, Deputy GOP Whip Says Roll Call
● Centrist Republicans Gain Support in Effort to Force Immigration Votes Wall Street Journal
● McConnell Plays Down Chances of New Senate Vote on Immigration Wall Street Journal
Opinion: Legalize child migrants and build a wall
AEI
The fate of the Dreamers is an issue that has come back to life in Congress, thanks to aggressive action by a small group of House Republicans.
LAND USE/HOUSING
Want to buy a home in California? Here's how much you need to earn — by county
Sacramento Bee
You’ll need to earn at least $333,270 a year to qualify to buy a median-priced home in San Francisco — but not all of California is that costly: An income of $35,400 is enough in Lassen County.
California’s housing shortage is not sustainable
OC Register
According to the reports, Southern California needs upward of a million new affordable housing units just to meet current demand.
Is this the only way millennials can live in a house?
San Diego Union-Tribune
Live like a king at a pauper’s price? Not exactly, but you can reside at an estate on a budget — so long as you’re willing to share it with several strangers.
Gimme Shelter podcast: Evictions and tenants’ rights
CALmatters
Our hosts discuss a handful of tenants’ rights bills with uncertain futures currently making their way through the Legislature.
Quest for Affordable Housing Drives People Away From the Coasts
Pew Charitable Trusts
New population estimates show growth in Texas and Arizona cities surpassing New York City and Los Angeles for the first time in 10 years.
PUBLIC FINANCES
Majority of California voters want to repeal gas tax increase, poll finds
Los Angeles Times
As a new poll found a majority of California voters want to repeal increases to the state's gas tax and vehicle fees, Gov. Jerry Brown has begun campaigning to preserve them, arguing the sacrifice is needed to fix long-neglected roads and bridges and improve mass transit.
IRS hints it’s not excited about state workaround laws
San Francisco Chronicle
In a notice seen as a warning, the Internal Revenue Service this week said will issue regulations about state laws designed to get around the new $10,000 limit on the federal deduction for state and local taxes.
Wall Street Journal
A Congressional hearing this week offered potentially good news to nonprofits whose donors are under political threat by killing a form that exposes donors to political harassment.
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act was a missed opportunity to establish a sustainable tax code
Brookings
While the bill provides temporary economic stimulus, it delivers only a meager boost to long-term economic growth, and even less for Americans’ future living standards.
TRANSPORTATION
Bakersfield Californian
Soaring gas prices aren't expected to deter motorists from traveling in near-record numbers over the Memorial Day holiday, with more than 36 million hitting the road nationwide and contributing to delays that could be up to three times longer than normal, according to AAA.
As bullet train costs rise, only 31% of California voters want to keep paying for it
Los Angeles Times
Californians still support the concept of a bullet train from Los Angeles to San Francisco, but after months of troubling disclosures about the project's cost and schedule, just 31% of voters across the state want to keep building it.
See also:
● Commentary: Why it’s time to get on board high-speed rail project Mercury News
● California's Brown Pegs Bullet Train Future to Democratic Wave Bloomberg
● $15B Texas high-speed rail construction could start next year Construction Dive
California signs off on grant to connect ACE, BART
Progressive Railroading
California has approved a $750,000 grant to help connect the Altamont Corridor Express (ACE) and Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) rail systems.
Fatal motorcycle crashes fall 28% in California
Mercury News
Last year, 406 bikers were killed on state roads, a decrease of almost 30 percent from the 586 who died in 2016 and far better than the 5.6 percent drop nationwide.
Los Angeles Times
In cities where the scooters have launched, riders continue to flout local helmet rules, ride on sidewalks and disobey traffic laws. Last week in Santa Monica, a man on a Bird scooter collided with a Honda sedan after zipping through a stop sign, resulting in what the Santa Monica Police Department described as a moderate head injury. The man was not wearing a helmet.
WATER
Opinion: Bad place for a new dam
The Fresno Bee
On May 2nd, the California Water Commission gave the Temperance Flat Dam project the second from the lowest public benefit ratio of all the projects that have made it this far in the Proposition 1 money allotment process.
California’s water pollution laws languishing without enforcement
San Francisco Chronicle
With industry advocates in the federal driver’s seat, we need state leaders to step it up by sending a message that in California, when it comes to clean water, the polluter pays.
Prop. 72 promises tax relief for water conservation
KCRA
It doesn’t happen often, but Proposition 72 actually has unanimous support from Democrats and Republicans in the Legislature, along with business, labor and environmental groups.
Time for California to Deliver on the Human Right to Water
News Deeply
California has an opportunity to be a clean drinking water leader, as it is a leader on the climate front, says Leo Heller, the United Nations special rapporteur.
EPA grapples with potential health threat in drinking water
The Hill
Environmental Protection Agency chief Scott Pruitt is starting to grapple with a class of chemicals used in manufacturing that has been found in drinking water in recent years.
“Xtra”
Hiking Half Dome is always a challenge. Making a hard choice could save your life
Sierra Star
The most important piece of information anyone can possess about hiking Half Dome is knowing when to turn back.
Thousand Flags display returns this Memorial Day weekend
Bakersfield Californian
There's a lot going on this weekend, with so many events you'll be glad you have three days to fit them all in. But let's not forget that Monday is not just a day off work: It's Memorial Day, a time to honor the people who have died while serving our country.
Valley Cultural Calendar Thursday, May 24, 2018
Valley Cultural Coalition
Great things are happening in the Valley. Here's a list of VCC member offerings to keep you busy and entertained!
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Maddy Institute Updated List of San Joaquin Valley Elected Officials HERE.
The Kenneth L. Maddy Institute at California State University, Fresno was established to honor the legacy of one of California’s most principled and effective legislative leaders of the last half of the 20th Century by engaging, preparing and inspiring a new generation of governmental leaders for the 21st Century. Its mission is to inspire citizen participation, elevate government performance, provide non-partisan analysis and assist in providing solutions for public policy issues important to the region, state and nation.
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