POLICY & POLITICS
North SJ Valley:
The Camp Fire started on federal land. This rule would make PG&E clean up its power lines
Merced Sun-Star
The U.S. Forest Service is seeking to make it easier for utility companies to remove dry brush and other vegetation near power lines running through forests, such as the PG&E lines on federal land that sparked the deadly 2018 Camp Fire.
Central SJ Valley:
Rodriguez will not seek re-election
Madera Tribune
After almost 15 years in office, Max Rodriguez will not seek re-election to the Madera County Board of Supervisors. Citing a desire to spend more time with his family, Rodriguez said it was time to retire and allow for the next generation of leaders to emerge.
Chowchilla officials applaud Senate Bill 5, urge Governor Newsom to sign it
Madera Tribune
SB 5 provides funding to help local governments subsidize affordable housing for working class families and those facing homelessness.
South SJ Valley:
DA to investigate Kern County Fair
Bakersfield Californian
The Kern County District Attorney's office has opened an investigation into the Kern County Fair following media reports last week that it is the fair at the center of a state audit that uncovered financial misconduct and inappropriate use of state resources to the tune of hundreds of thousands of dollars.
County supervisor Mick Gleason will not run for a third term
KGET
Mick Gleason, the supervisor who has represented Kern County’s 1st District since 2012, said Monday he will not seek a third term.
Opinion: California’s Foreign-Oil Problem
Wall Street Journal
Following the attacks on Saudi Arabia’s oil facilities last month, many forecasters warned that gas prices would spike. Yet prices have hardly budged—except in California, where they are surging due to policies that have made the state more reliant on foreign oil.
State:
See Newsom join LeBron James to sign bill allowing college athletes to be paid
Fresno Bee
Governor Gavin Newsom sat down with LeBron James and others to sign into law California's 'Fair Pay to Play Act' on the set of HBO's The Shop. It gives college athletes the ability be fairly paid for use of their name and likeness in the state.
See also:
● Warszawski: New California law, while good for college athletes, could jeopardize Fresno State sports Fresno Bee
● California becomes 1st state to let college athletes make money, defying NCAA abc30
● What it means: How California bill will impact college sports, and what comes next Visalia Times Delta
● California to let college athletes sign endorsement deals Stockton Record
● California becomes first state to allow college athletes to be paid Sacramento Bee
● California Governor Signs Bill Allowing College Athletes To Profit From Endorsements Capital Public Radio
● Will CA’s new NCAA law be a game changer? Here are 5 things to know next CALmatters
● Can NCAA remain step ahead of latest threat to amateurism? Associated Press
● News Analysis: What’s next for NCAA and college athletics now that SB 206 is law? Los Angeles Times
● Column: California’s college sports reform bill exposes hypocrisy of NCAA’s money grab Los Angeles Times
These new California laws signed by Gavin Newsom are also the first in the nation
Fresno Bee
Gov. Gavin Newsom this week announced he signed law that for the first time will allow college athletes to earn money from endorsements while they’re in school. It’s not the only first-in-the nation law or policy signed by California’s first-year governor.
Why Have So Many Vaping Bills Stalled In The California Legislature?
KVPR
Earlier this week, the state Department of Public Health urged Californians to stop vaping immediately, less than a week after Governor Newsom signed an executive order to curb vaping among youth.
Interview: California Assembly’s First African-American Chief Clerk Retires After 27 Years
Capital Public Radio
Dotson Wilson has closed his last roll and tallied his last vote. The California Assembly’s chief clerk and parliamentarian is retiring after nearly 40 years as a Capitol staffer. That includes 27 years as the chamber’s first ever African-American chief clerk.
Federal:
Poll: Momentum grows for Donald Trump to be impeached and removed from office
Fresno Bee
Support across the country is building for President Donald Trump to be impeached and removed from office, according to a new poll from Quinnipiac University. The national survey of self-identified registered voters released Monday shows Americans are hotly divided on the issue, with an even split of 47 percent.
See also:
● Watergate star witness John Dean knows what’s needed to impeach Trump San Francisco Chronicle
● Column: Trump’s Ukraine scandal may have just thrown Joe Biden a lifeline Los Angeles Times
● As Washington Fights Over Ukraine, Putin Smiles Wall Street Journal
● Pompeo Took Part in Ukraine Call, Official Says Wall Street Journal
● Trump mentioned the ‘Crowdstrike’ conspiracy during his call with Ukraine. Here’s what that meansPolitiFact
● Support For Impeachment Grows Quinnipiac University National Poll Finds; Majority Of Voters Approve Of Impeachment Inquiry Quinnipiac Poll
● Poll: Large majorities of black, Hispanic voters say Trump has been bad for them The Hill
● Opinion: Trump’s Defenders Have Plenty of Lame Excuses Bloomberg
● EDITORIAL: Congress must not ignore Trump’s pattern of abuse San Francisco Chronicle
Reckless Choices, Bad Deals, and Dangerous Provocations
Foreign Affairs
Superpowers have a lot of room for error. Unlike lesser nations, they can shrug off many of the consequences of failed policies. Their weight and influence can compensate for subpar statecraft.
Appeals court upholds Trump administration’s cancelling of net neutrality rules
Washington Post
A federal appeals court on Tuesday affirmed the Trump administration acted lawfully when it scrapped the U.S. government’s net neutrality rules in 2017, dealing a blow to tech giants and consumer advocates who argued that the repeal would create a stratified Internet of fast and slow lanes.
Hong Kong Protester Shot by Police as National Day Demonstrations Descend Into Widespread Violence
Wall Street Journal
Hong Kong police shot a protester in the chest Tuesday, a day of bitter fighting that marked the worst and most widespread violence to hit the city in more than half a century.
Barr Seeking Foreign Help on Origins of Russia Probe
Wall Street Journal
Attorney General William Barr has asked President Trump to introduce him to a number of foreign officials who he believes may have information relevant to the Justice Department’s review of the origins of the Russia investigation and has held overseas meetings with some of them, a department official said Monday.
Elections 2020:
Bernie Sanders is coming to Fresno. What would you ask him?
Fresno Bee
Sen. Bernie Sanders will host a rally at Fresno City College on Thursday as part of his presidential campaign. The event was added to his campaign website Monday afternoon and was announced as part of his “Latinx-focused California college tour.” The rally will be at Fresno City’s Veterans Peace Memorial lawn at 7:30 p.m. Doors open at 6 p.m.
See also:
● Bernie Sanders to make campaign stop in Fresno abc30
● Sanders aims to fix one of his campaign’s biggest problems: winning older voters Fresno Bee
● Sen. Bernie Sanders to hold 2020 College Town Hall at CSUB Thursday Bakersfield Californian
● Presidential Candidate Bernie Sanders To Hold Town Halls In Bakersfield, Fresno KVPR
● Sanders aims to fix one of his campaign’s biggest problems: winning older voters Merced Sun-Star
● Bernie Sanders Hits Fundraising Stride With Focus on Small Donors Wall Street Journal
● Sanders unveils plan to tax companies with high-earning CEOs Politico
● EDITORIAL: Bernie’s National Rent Control Wall Street Journal
2020 Democrats in dash for money before third quarter ends
Bakersfield Californian
Bernie Sanders said, "I hate asking people for money" — and then asked for money. Joe Biden's campaign warned that President Donald Trump would "feel like he won" if a fundraising goal wasn't reached. And Beto O'Rourke offered to "try to text you" in exchange for $5.
Fox: Casting a Vote on Newfangled Voting Equipment
Fox & Hounds
There was a mock election in Los Angeles County this weekend put on by the county registrar-recorder’s office and I voted for the Hollywood sign as the most iconic L.A. landmark.
Capital Public Radio
The line at The Barn — the newish, vast beer garden destination by Drake’s Brewing Company on the Sacramento River’s westside — was unusually long on Sunday: wrapping around half of the venue, then winding down the sidewalk toward the ballpark formerly known as Raley Field.
Hispanic lawmakers eye leap to Biden
Politico
The Congressional Hispanic Caucus has largely stayed out of the presidential primary so far — partly out of respect for Julián Castro, the only Latino in the race and the brother of CHC Chairman Joaquin Castro.
Sen. Cory Booker Meets Fundraising Goal
Wall Street Journal
New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker’s campaign fundraising gambit worked: He said Sept. 21 that he’d drop out of the Democratic presidential primary if he didn’t raise another $1.7 million by the end of the month.
Kamala Harris shakes up flailing campaign
Politico
The staff moves represent a significant reorganization for the California senator’s bid, which is mired in single digits in the polls.
Other:
You have one year to get a California Real ID. Here’s what you need to know
Fresno Bee
The clock is ticking for the millions of Californians who have yet to visit the state’s Department of Motor Vehicles to get a federally mandated Real ID card.
Robert Price: 'Never submit to cowardice,' another Gandhi urges
Bakersfield Californian
Young Arun had been targeted and targeted again. White teens were beating him because his skin was too dark. Black teens were assaulting him because his skin was too light. Finally, Arun decided the only solution was physical superiority: He would pump iron until his muscles bulged. Then he would show them.
The conservative magazine in America
AEI
Please join AEI in celebrating the 10th anniversary of the founding of National Affairs with an evening conversation about the future of opinion journalism on the right.
Facebook to Exempt Opinion and Satire From Fact-Checking
Wall Street Journal
Facebook Inc. plans to exempt opinion pieces and satire from its fact-checking program, according to people familiar with the matter, as the social-media giant grapples with how to stop the spread of falsehoods while maintaining its own neutrality.
A federal backstop for insuring against cyberattacks?
Brookings
The effects of warfare can be felt well beyond the battlefield. Businesses are interrupted, property damaged, lives lost—and those at risk often seek to protect themselves through insurance. The premiums that insurers charge, however, rarely account for the immense destructive capacity of modern militaries, making wartime claims a potentially existential threat to their fiscal solvency.
MADDY INSTITUTE PUBLIC POLICY PROGRAMMING
Sunday, October 6, at 10 a.m. on ABC30 – Maddy Report: “To Catch a Thief: Workers Comp Fraud” – Guest: California State Auditor Elaine Howle. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.
Sunday, October 6, at 10 a.m. on Newstalk 580AM/105.9FM (KMJ) – Maddy Report - Valley Views Edition: “Prosecuting Workers Comp Fraud in the Valley” – Guests: Manuel Jimenez (Fresno Co DA), Janelle Crandell (Stanislaus Co DA), Spencer Johnston (Tulare Co DA), Dave McKillop (Kern Co. DA). Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.
Sunday, October 6, at 7:30 a.m. on UniMas 61 (KTTF) – El Informe Maddy: “Workers Comp Fraud” – Invitado: Margarita Fernandez, PIO State Auditor's Office. Presentado Por: Coordinadora del Programa del Maddy Institute, Maria Jeans.
AGRICULTURE/FOOD
Trump farm secretary blames China for trade wars
Fresno Bee
President Donald Trump's agriculture secretary is telling farmers in Wisconsin that China "toyed" the United States into becoming too dependent on its markets.
Hemp Pavilion To Debut At 2020 World Ag Expo
Business Journal
The World Ag Expo in Tulare, one of the largest ag trade shows in the world, will be taking up the hemp conversation next year. Plant Growth Group— a consultancy in the hemp marketplace — will be partnering with the expo on a 9,400-square-foot-tent that will house 30 10’x10’ exhibitor spaces and a seminar stage.
Lawsuit: That really could be weed growing near Arvin
Bakersfield Californian
A recent lawsuit claims private testing found samples from hemp planted in the Arvin area "significantly exceeded" the federal limit for THC, the high-inducing chemical in marijuana.
Los Angeles Times
As California’s attorney general from 1999 to 2007, Bill Lockyer was on the inside as the state wrestled with a developing marijuana industry. But these days he’s watching the transformation from the outside, as co-founder of a licensed pot distributor in Lynwood.
U.S., Japan Reach Trade Deal on Farm Goods, Digital Trade
Wall Street Journal
President Trump and Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe signed a trade-enhancement agreement that will lower agricultural tariffs in Japan, industrial tariffs in the U.S. and set new rules for digital trade between the world’s first- and third-largest economies.
EDITORIAL: Dear California farmers: Keep your pesticides to yourselves, away from workers
Fresno Bee
California’s farmers do amazing work. Though small in number, they produce food in abundance that is consumed by people around the world.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE / FIRE / PUBLIC SAFETY
Crime:
California Supreme Court likely to decide when juveniles may be tried as adults
San Francisco Chronicle
A new state law that bars the prosecution of 14- and 15-year-olds as adults violates a constitutional amendment approved by the voters in 2016, a state appeals court ruled Monday, handing the issue to the California Supreme Court.
Video: Key Factors in Arrest Trends and Differences in California’s Counties
Public Policy Institute of California
Police officers make more than a million arrests per year in California. Arrests to enforce laws and protect public safety can have wide-ranging consequences for individuals and communities, and there have long been concerns about racial disparities.
Public Safety:
Gov. Newsom can protect Californians by closing private prisons
CALmatters
Private prison corporations have a perverse financial incentive to perpetuate the injustice of mass incarceration and to prop up the Trump administration’s cruel deportation machine.
EDITORIAL: California prison agency’s attempt to evade transparency only worsens scandal
Sacramento Bee
Some people never learn, and many of the people who never learn seem to work for the State of California. Case in point: The California Prison Industry Authority has made the mindboggling decision to “withhold spending records related to its former general manager’s retirement party,” according to a story by Wes Venteicher, The Sacramento Bee’s State Worker reporter.
Fire:
The Camp Fire started on federal land. This rule would make PG&E clean up its power lines
Merced Sun-Star
The U.S. Forest Service is seeking to make it easier for utility companies to remove dry brush and other vegetation near power lines running through forests, such as the PG&E lines on federal land that sparked the deadly 2018 Camp Fire.
Paradise Residents Still Can't Drink the Water
KQED
Since last November, when the Camp Fire almost completely destroyed the town of Paradise, the cancer-causing chemical benzene has tainted the town’s water, leaving it undrinkable. Now an independent team of scientists will begin testing for the carcinogen.
California tests new strategies to prevent deadly wildfires
Scientific American
A troubled utility in California repeatedly shut off power to homes last week to prevent wildfire ignitions, while Gov. Gavin Newsom has waived a major environmental law to allow expedited fire prevention efforts.
Are You Prepared? FAQs on Cal/OSHA’s Emergency Wildfire Smoke Protection Regulation
Littler
In response to the dangerous levels of air quality last fall after the wildfires in Northern and Southern California, the state Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) has enacted an emergency regulation addressing hazardous wildfire smoke exposure.
ECONOMY / JOBS
Economy:
Midwest economy: September state-by-state glance
Fresno Bee
The Institute for Supply Management, formerly the Purchasing Management Association, began formally surveying its membership in 1931 to gauge business conditions.
See also:
● Survey suggests little or no Midwest economic growth in view Fresno Bee
Forever 21 is bankrupt. What does it mean for the already shrinking Fresno store?
Fresno Bee
Forever 21, the seller of plaid flannel crop tops and other trendy fashions, has filed for bankruptcy. The company says it isn’t going belly up. But it plans to close up to 178 stores in the United States and 350 total worldwide.
See also:
● Forever 21 files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, may close up to 178 US stores Visalia Times Delta
● Forever 21 files for bankrupcy, plans to close as many as 178 U.S. stores Stockton Record
Lawmakers take aim at ‘punitive’ child support payback for low-income families
CALmatters
Critics have long argued that California's child support payback system for families using public assistance disproportionately affects low-income people and can drive a wedge between children and their parents.
National Law Review
On Sept. 18, California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 5 (AB5) into law. AB5, dramatically changed the standard for determining whether workers in California should be classified as employees or as independent contractors.
Consultant Linked to Surveillance of Former Credit Suisse Executive Reported Dead
Wall Street Journal
A consultant who helped Credit Suisse Group AG hire investigators to trail the bank’s former wealth-management chief died in an apparent suicide last week, a lawyer in Switzerland said Monday night.
See also:
● Credit Suisse Puts Spy-Scandal Blame on CEO’s Top Lieutenant Wall Street Journal
WeWork Still Needs Cash After Pulling IPO
Wall Street Journal
For years, WeWork’s parent company was defined by big spending as it relentlessly pursued rapid growth. Now, in the aftermath of a botched initial public offering attempt and the ouster of co-founder and chief executive Adam Neumann, it needs to stop bleeding cash.
Slowing Trade Hits Global Manufacturing
Wall Street Journal
The global manufacturing slowdown worsened in September, and trade flows are set to grow this year at the weakest pace since the financial crisis as tariffs rise and the global economy cools.
2019 California Economic Summit Registration Opens
CAFWD
Registration has opened for the 2019 California Economic Summit, which will take place in Fresno on November 7-8. The Summit, produced by California Forward, marks the eighth annual gathering of private, public and civic leaders from across California’s diverse regions committed to creating a shared economic agenda to expand prosperity for all.
Jobs:
California to let child care workers unionize
Fresno Bee
California will allow roughly 40,000 child care workers to unionize. Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the law on Monday and it takes effect next year.
See also:
● California child care workers gain new union rights to bargain with the state for higher pay Fresno Bee
● Gov. Newsom signs bill allowing child care workers to unionize abc30
Gap is bringing 600 jobs to the Fresno area
abc30
Gap Incorporated is set to begin hiring for the 2019 holiday season which will bring more than 600 jobs to the Fresno area.
Workforce Development: Who Has a Seat at the Table?
EdNote
As any good meeting planner will tell you, one needs to ensure the right individuals attend. Those who can provide insight and guidance to any topic you discuss are essential members of the group.
EDUCATION
K-12:
Parent upset over lurid photos in film by Newsom’s wife shown at Stanislaus school
Modesto Bee
A film on male stereotypes, directed by California’s first lady, has created an uproar after it was shown to junior high students at a school in Stanislaus County.
Local parent's social media post of alleged bullying captures attention from community
Bakersfield Californian
When one parent felt frustrated with administrators in the Panama-Buena Vista Union School District who she felt were not doing enough to stop alleged instances of bullying involving her son, she took to social media.
Student vaping epidemic has California schools frantically mobilizing
Los Angeles Times
Students at Crescenta Valley High School have created an anti-vaping app. At nearby Rosemont Middle School, 55 students have joined an anti-vaping club. Santa Monica schools have booked 20 anti-vaping and drug awareness student assemblies and parent meetings.
Los Angeles Times
In middle school, Anthony Avila would stand up in class, talk to friends when he wasn’t supposed to and sling his legs across a second chair. His disruptive behavior got him sent to the office a lot, where he would sit in silence, often stewing.
Walters: A trifecta for children?
CALmatters
Gavin Newsom’s website is topped by a photo of him talking to a group of children, and he has repeatedly stressed that as a governor and a father, he considers nurturing them to be one of his highest priorities.
Shootings prompt effort to help schools pay for silent alarms, other safety measures
McClatchy DC
Public schools around the country would receive funding for safety measures, such as metal detectors and bulletproof windows, designed to protect students and teachers during school shootings in a new bill before Congress.
What’s Involved in Scoring and AP Exam?
EdNote
Today, colleges and universities continue to turn to AP to help them identify and reward students who have succeeded in mastering challenging college-level content and skills.
‘In God We Trust’: Public School Displays of the National Motto
EdNote
When students returned to school this fall, some may have noticed new “In God We Trust” displays in their public school buildings. These displays correspond with recent laws in five states which make the displays a requirement beginning in the 2019-20 school year.
State Policy Levers to Increase School Meal Program Participation
EdNote
For over half of a century, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has offered free and reduced-price meals to children from low-income households under the National School Lunch Program.
Los Angeles Times
Let’s face it. No ethnic studies course can be totally objective, devoid of all values and opinions. Racism is wrong; we’re not going to have a class debate in which racists get to present their opinions as equally valid.
Higher Ed:
Bakersfield Californian
When Mark Owen, a freshman nursing major at Cal State Bakersfield, started his statistics course this semester, he didn't feel as prepared as he would have liked. "I don't actually like math, it's just required to do it," Owen said.
Lyles College receives grants for research, boosting diversity in STEM
Fresno State News
The National Science Foundation has awarded three grants totaling nearly $800,000 to faculty in the Lyles College of Engineering at Fresno State.
Community Colleges Need to Evolve as Students’ Needs Do
Harvard Business Review
Community colleges typically see upticks in enrollment during recessions and drops in enrollment during times of recovery, which makes leadership’s job all the more challenging.
ENVIRONMENT/ ENERGY
Environment:
Pep Boys settles environmental suit for $3.7 million
Fresno Bee
The Pep Boys auto parts chain will pay $3.7 million to settle allegations that it illegally disposed of used motor oil and other hazardous waste at its California stores.
San Francisco area hit by quake swarm, with 5 temblors recorded in one day
Fresno Bee
A swarm of tiny temblors shook up California’s East Bay over the past 24 hours, the U.S. Geological Survey reports. The agency reported at least five quakes registering from 2.0 to 2.9 magnitude, along with a slew of even smaller temblors registering below 2.0 magnitude.
California Air Officials Dispute EPA Letter Threatening Sanctions Due To Air Pollution
KVPR
In a letter sent last Tuesday to Mary Nichols, Chair of the Air Resources Board (CARB), EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler claimed that “since the 1970s, California has failed to carry out its most basic tasks under the Clean Air Act.”
Where Animals and Plants Might Survive Climate Change
KQED
Devils Postpile National Monument is known for its distinct geologic formations, where the crumbling columns of rock from an ancient lava bed resemble, well, a pile of posts.
About the Merced National Wildlife Refuge
U.S. Fish and Wildlife
The Merced National Wildlife Refuge encompasses 10,258 acres of wetlands, native grasslands, vernal pools, and riparian areas. It was established in 1951 under the Lea Act to attract wintering waterfowl from adjacent farmland where their foraging activities were causing crop damage.
Audubon
Famous for their courtship dance, the Sandhill Crane is one the largest migrating North American cranes. Its wingspan can reach almost seven feet wide and it can be up to four feet tall. The width of the crane's wings make it a spectacular soaring bird that can be compared to raptors.
See also:
● Sandhill Crane Wetland Tour at the Woodbridge Ecological Reserve CA Fish and Wildlife
Commentary: Newsom's veto of Senate Bill 1 puts environment at risk
CALmatters
SB 1, authored by Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins, was intended to help California defend itself against the Trump Administration’s efforts to weaken environmental, public health and worker safety standards.
Energy:
Fresno Is Weighing Community Choice Aggregate Energy, Giving Residents Options For Their Utilities
VPR
In most Central Valley communities, there’s only one electric and gas utility. For most of the San Joaquin Valley, it’s Pacific Gas and Electric; if you live in the southeast region, the utility might be Southern California Edison.
How Big Oil Of The Past Helped Launch The Solar Industry Of Today
VPR
Call it a sign of the times. Renewable energy has gotten so cheap that even oil giant Exxon Mobil, which reported $20.8 billion in earnings in 2018, is getting in on the savings.
HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES
Health:
Juul stops funding San Francisco vaping measure
Fresno Bee
Juul Labs Inc. announced Monday that it will stop supporting a ballot measure to overturn an anti-vaping law in San Francisco, effectively killing the campaign.
See also:
● The FDA tried to ban flavors years before the vaping outbreak. Top Obama officials rejected the planLos Angeles Times
● Juul ends support for Prop. C, SF measure to overturn e-cigarette sales ban San Francisco Chronicle
● Vaping Related Lung Illness: A Summary of the Public Health Risks and Recommendations for the Public California Department of Public Health
Emotional Support May Help Reduce Health Disparities, Says Study Of Valley Cancer Survivors
KVPR
Edelmira and Juan Ramos were teenagers when they met in the early 1970s. Juan was visiting his grandmother in Mexicali, Mexico, when he noticed Edelmira living across the street. He spoke only English, she only Spanish, and yet they both felt a spark.
Californians strongly back vaccine law in new statewide poll
Los Angeles Times
Californians strongly support a state law creating new oversight of vaccine medical exemptions for schoolchildren in a statewide poll released Monday, with backing across a spectrum of political affiliations, income and education levels, and geography.
Juul ends support for Prop. C, SF measure to overturn e-cigarette sales ban
San Francisco Chronicle
Prop. C will still appear on the Nov. 5 ballot. If approved, it would overturn a San Francisco ordinance suspending the sale of e-cigarettes in the city, and replace it with regulations supported by Juul, which is headquartered in San Francisco.
Novel Plan Aims to Settle Opioid Suits
Wall Street Journal
Endo International PLC, Johnson & Johnson and other drugmakers that face sprawling litigation over the opioid crisis are exploring an unusual way to settle the cases: by participating in Purdue Pharma LP’s bankruptcy.
DEA allowed huge growth in painkiller supply as overdose deaths rose, IG says
Washington Post
Even as deaths from opioid overdoses grew dramatically, the Drug Enforcement Administration allowed manufacturers to substantially increase the number of painkilling pills they produced each year.
Human Services:
One of Central Valley’s first AIDS activists, Cynthia Brazil Karraker, dies at 69
Fresno Bee
Karraker was one of the Valley’s first AIDS/HIV activists, the founder of the nonprofits All About Care and Camp Care and the person responsible for getting the AIDS Memorial Quilt displayed in Fresno.
Family HealthCare Network opens new facility in Farmersville
Porterville Recorder
On Monday, Family HealthCare Network (FHCN) opened the doors of its new Farmersville East Health Center located at 682 E. Visalia Rd. in East Farmersville.
Community Health Centers Teeter on Financial Cliff, Courtesy of Congress
Pew Trusts
As happened in 2017, Congress is on the precipice of failing to meet the Sept. 30 deadline for reauthorizing the Community Health Center Fund that supports nearly 1,400 community health centers, which treat more than 27 million predominately poor patients.
On-Site Health Care Could Help Seniors Stay at Home
Pew Trusts
The nation’s older population is growing rapidly — it’s projected to nearly double by 2050. Many seniors want to stay in their homes, but when they grow older and more infirm, that isn’t always possible.
With the Affordable Care Act’s future in doubt, evidence grows that it has saved lives
Washington Post
Such findings are part of an emerging mosaic of evidence that, nearly a decade after it became one of the most polarizing health-care laws in U.S. history, the ACA is making some Americans healthier — and less likely to die.
Column: She’s 82. The cost of her long-term care insurance just went up 80%
Los Angeles Times
According to the American Assn. for Long-Term Care Insurance, there are fewer than a dozen coverage providers still writing policies. All have applied in recent years for higher rates -- permission that is typically granted because the only other recourse would be the companies going bankrupt.
IMMIGRATION
Mexican asylum seekers at multiple border crossings grow frustrated with waiting
Los Angeles Times
Thousands of Mexican migrants seeking asylum in the United States are waiting at border crossings as a result of the Trump administration’s recent crackdown despite concerns for their safety in their home country, migrants and advocates say.
Blue States See Dip in Immigrants
Pew Trusts
Despite having more welcoming policies for immigrants, blue states that once led immigration growth saw some of the steepest decreases in immigrant population last year. The red states of Florida and Texas had the biggest increases, along with Washington state.
Opinion: Trump’s limits on refugee resettlement are cruel and counterproductive
Los Angeles Times
In yet another set of draconian policy decisions by the Trump administration, the U.S. will accept no more than 18,000 refugees this coming year and, by adopting a new formula, will significantly reduce admissions for people fleeing persecution for reasons other than religion.
See also:
● Federal Judge Blocks Trump Move To Fast-Track Deportations VPR
Opinion: Impeachment isn’t Trump’s only worry. Courts shot down three of his immigration policies
Los Angeles Times
The launch of an impeachment inquiry in the House wasn’t the only bad news President Trump faced last week. By late Friday, three different federal courts had shot down three of the president’s more draconian policies aimed at shutting off the flow of migrants into the U.S.
LAND USE/HOUSING
Land Use:
Chinatown Rising: Buyers Snap Up Property In Once-forgotten Area
Business Journal
Morgan Doizaki was introduced to Fresno’s Chinatown at age 10, when he would work at Central Fish Co. for his uncle, Akira Yokomi, during his holidays.
Elk Grove’s first animal shelter opens: A ‘fun, warm building’ for stray, abandoned pets
Sacramento Bee
The long-awaited Elk Grove Animal Shelter opened to the public over the weekend, offering services and housing for escaped, abandoned and adoptable pets in the growing suburb.
Luxury Apartments Get the Tax Breaks Meant to Boost Low-Income Areas
Pew Trusts
Investors could enjoy a hefty federal tax break for investing in a low-income neighborhood — even though it’s not clear whether such projects will help current low-income residents, or whether they’re the leading edge of gentrification.
Housing:
New shelter readies for Modesto homeless as MOES closes. But dogs may be left behind
Modesto Bee
Officials are on track to close the Modesto Outdoor Emergency Shelter — the temporary tent city that is home for about 400 people — by the end of the year as projects that provide more shelter and services for homeless people come online.
Study: Fresno No. 81 Most Dynamic Urban Center In U.S.
Business Journal
Using metrics including human capital, education and culture and economic activity, Fresno has been ranked the No. 81 most dynamic urban center in the U.S., according to real estate search website.
In The Studio: The Politics Of Homelessness, High Speed Rail
KVPR
Last week we heard from those working to solve homelessness in Fresno and Madera counties. This week in the studio, moderator Kathleen Schock looks at the politics of that issue, along with another topic trending in the news, high speed rail.
PUBLIC FINANCES
Sacramento’s median household income hasn’t been this high in at least 30 years
Sacramento Bee
The median household income in the Sacramento region rose to a historic high last year as unemployment remained low, according to new census data. The median household income – the middle income in a ranked list – was $73,142 in 2018, up from $69,664 in 2017, after adjusting for inflation.
Nearly one third of California funeral homes sidestep law on price disclosure, consumer groups claim
Los Angeles Daily News
To prevent the newly bereaved from getting ripped off, and to make comparison shopping easier, California law requires funeral homes to disclose their price lists online. But five years after the law passed, fewer than half of funeral home websites prominently displayed complete price lists, two consumer groups found.
Federal judge tosses New York and New Jersey’s challenge to Trump’s local tax cap
Los Angeles Times
Four states in the eastern U.S. have lost a legal challenge to a provision of the 2017 law that limited write-offs for state and local taxes, as a federal judge threw out a lawsuit seeking to block the cap.
Do Democrats think all their desired new taxes would have no impact on economic growth?
AEI
The Democratic presidential candidates have plenty of ideas about taxes. Wealth taxes. Wall Street taxes. Inequality taxes. And probably more to come.
Climate Change Could Make Borrowing Costlier for States and Cities
Pew Trusts
Someday soon, analysts will determine that a city or county, or maybe a school district or utility, is so vulnerable to sea level rise, flooding, drought or wildfire that it is an investment risk.
EDITORIAL: Here’s why Oakdale has earned voters’ trust for higher sales tax
Modesto Bee
Voters in Oakdale should embrace Measure H in November (look for absentee ballots to arrive in the mail after Oct. 10) to avoid a serious reduction in important city services, including police and fire protection.
TRANSPORTATION
Gas prices rise in the Valley, up 23 cents in Fresno
abc30
It's going to cost you a bit more to fill up at the pump in the Valley. In Fresno, gas prices have spiked up more than 23 cents compared to last week.
See also:
● Gasoline prices soar to $4.06 a gallon in San Diego San Diego Union-Tribune
● Pain at the pump: Gas prices top $4 a gallon across Bay Area San Jose Mercury News
● Sacramento gas prices up 25 cents in past week. California costs soar, bucking U.S. trend Sacramento Bee
Need a Real ID? Go to the California DMV before things get worse
Merced Sun-Star
If you thought wait times were bad at the California Department of Motor Vehicles now, just wait. DMV officials are warning of an increase in customer visits ahead of a looming Real ID deadline.
Inside the new Uber: Weak coffee, vanishing perks and fast-deflating morale
Washington Post
Uber is changing as it shifts from a closely held unicorn start-up to a publicly traded company that appears to be losing investors’ confidence. Those changes include laying off more than 800 workers over the summer.
WATER
The Interior Secretary Wants to Enlarge a Dam. An Old Lobbying Client Would Benefit.
New York Times
For years, the Interior Department resisted proposals to raise the height of its towering Shasta Dam in Northern California. The department’s own scientists and researchers concluded that doing so would endanger rare plants and animals in the area, as well as the bald eagle, and devastate the West Coast’s salmon industry downstream.
“Xtra”
The Hot Cheetos craze is coming to the fair. Here’s what you can try and where
Fresno Bee
The Flamin’ Hot Cheeto has become a bit of Cheetos marketing and also a foodie trend, finding its way out of the bag and onto tacos and burritos and — in the case of The Big Fresno Fair — fries and baked potatoes, too.
Hillcrest Pumpkin Patch open for Halloween season
abc30
One of the Valley's favorite October traditions is back open this weekend. The Hillcrest Pumpkin Patch is ready for Halloween season. You can wander the patch or book hay rides and picnics from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. every weekend until October 27.
abc30
The 136th Big Fresno Fair runs until October 14th in East Central Fresno. We have what you need to know about one of the Valley's biggest events of the year!
Local Franchisee Honored By National Burger Chain
Business Journal
A nationwide burger chain has recognized a Central Valley owner as franchisee of the year. Javier Gomez began at Rally’s as a shift supervisor in 1986 in Los Angeles. He climbed the ranks to manager before eventually buying his former boss’ Central Valley stores in 2012.
Artists to descend on Modesto for mural event; coincides with First Friday finale
Modesto Bee
That’s how Modesto artist Fasm, also known as Aaron Vickery, describes the DoMo Walls event, happening in downtown Modesto from Wednesday through Friday, Oct. 2-4. In this case, the new clothes are new outdoor wall murals.
Got ideas for making downtown Modesto better? Drop by Greens restaurant this week
Modesto Bee
People who care about downtown Modesto’s future can take part in brainstorming sessions this week. It kicked off Monday evening with a general presentation on the master plan under way for the district.
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Maddy Institute Updated List of San Joaquin Valley Elected Officials HERE.
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