POLICY & POLITICS
North SJ Valley:
What’s needed for Valley medical school? About $25 million, feeder programs and more
Modesto Bee
A coalition for medical education convened in Modesto on Wednesday and discussed what it will take to establish a University of California medical school serving the San Joaquin Valley.
Ceres has not had a new apartment complex since 2004. That will change soon
Modesto Bee
Ceres will get its first new apartment complex in 15 years – 64 units near the southwest corner of town. The City Council voted unanimously Monday night for the project, on vacant land at the northwest corner of Morgan and Service roads.
Central SJ Valley:
Fresno has a new, full-time police chief. For the next year, anyway
Fresno Bee
Fresno Police Chief Andy Hall, who has been in the acting position for two months, officially took the permanent job on Wednesday though he’ll only be in there for a little more than a year. He was sworn in at City Hall during a ceremony that praised him while saying goodbye to former Chief Jerry Dyer.
Sheriff reimbursed $500,000 for keeping undocumented criminals behind bars
Visalia Times Delta
Grant money isn't always guaranteed, but the Tulare County Sheriff's Department will take what it can get. The department just received half-a-million dollars from one such grant program, that, while longstanding, is often in flux and criticized as underfunded.
New bill aims to get more children fed. Tulare County has highest participation in state
Visalia Times Delta
A bipartisan bill promises to help children and their families improve access to food assistance and safety net services. Assembly Bill 1377 requires counties across the state to identify an estimated 944,000 children eligible but not yet enrolled for CalFresh benefits, using data from free and reduced-price lunch programs, Medi-Cal and WIC.
See also:
Nearly 1 million children could lose free lunches under new Trump administration rule abc30
Almost 1 million kids could lose automatic eligibility for free school lunches under Trump proposal Los Angeles Times
While conspiracy lawsuits unfold, Devin Nunes keeps collecting campaign cash – $7 million of it
Fresno Bee
Rep. Devin Nunes has the most cash on hand of any House member this cycle, sitting at a cool $7 million. That gives him a huge advantage as he prepares a 2020 reelection campaign in which the Democratic Party has pledged to make him one of its top targets.
Devin Nunes votes to condemn Syria decision in rare bipartisan rebuke of President Trump
Visalia Times Delta
The U.S. House of Representatives has overwhelmingly voted its bipartisan condemnation of President Donald Trump's withdrawal of American forces from northern Syria. Despite stark divisions over the Democrats' Trump impeachment inquiry, Democrats and Republicans banded together Wednesday and approved a nonbinding resolution by 354-60 vote.
Five Candidates Look to Fill Vacant CUSD Board Seat
Clovis Roundup
The Clovis Unified School District held interviews Thursday night for five candidates vying for the position left vacant by the retirement of longtime board member Brian Heryford. T
South SJ Valley:
State considers new restrictions on use of toxic pesticide widely used in Kern
Bakersfield Californian
Another pesticide commonly used in Kern County agriculture has come under close scrutiny by state regulators after air monitoring equipment in Shafter and Parlier detected surprisingly high concentrations of the cancer-causing chemical last year.
What Happens When Your Town Dries Up (Stratford)?
The Atlantic
California’s Central Valley is one of the most productive agricultural regions in the United States—it yields a third of the produce grown in the country and is the world’s largest supplier of canned tomatoes. But a seven-year drought has threatened the viability of the valley’s farmland, and many rural communities have suffered greatly as a result.
How a massive Amazon wind farm promises to change a tiny town in rural America (Tehachapi)
CNBC
Amazon announced three new wind farm projects in April 2019 as part of their goal to become net-zero carbon emissions by 2040. Large wind and solar farms create economic booms for rural communities.
KGET
Southern California Edison says it could shut off power to about 1,600 customers in eastern Kern County because of the potential for wildfires related to weather events this week. The National Weather Service has issued a wind advisory in the area beginning Thursday at 8 a.m. through Friday at 2 a.m. Westerly winds are forecast in the area between 20 and 30 mph with gusts as high as 55 mph.
CSUB wins unprecedented national honor for teacher preparation
Bakersfield Californian
The Kern Teacher Residency Program at Cal State Bakersfield — designed to increase the number of teachers in the Central Valley — has earned the Christa McAuliffe Excellence in Teacher Education Award, bestowed by the American Association of State Colleges and Universities.
One California County Combats Homelessness Crisis With New, Sometimes Controversial Methods
NPR
A quarter of the nation’s homeless people live in the state of California. Reports over the years have described the impact of the homelessness crisis in places like Los Angeles and San Francisco. But smaller cities and towns are also experiencing an uptick — including Bakersfield, California.
Ousted Republican (Valadao) gains fundraising advantage (over Cox) in rematch for House seat
Fresno Bee
A San Joaquin Valley Republican trying to return to Congress raising more money for a 2020 campaign than the Democrat who defeated him last year. Former Rep. David Valadao, raised about $530,000 in the first campaign finance reporting period since he announced his intent to challenge incumbent Rep. TJ Cox, D-Fresno.
State:
California's Version of C-SPAN Goes Off the Air – With No Plans to Replace It
KQED
The California Channel — California's version of C-SPAN — went off the air early Wednesday and will close its doors for good on Oct. 31. With it goes one of the main ways Californians could follow what their legislators and government were up to on a daily basis.
How a handful of vetoes disappointed Gavin Newsom’s liberal California backers
Sacramento Bee
From fighting President Donald Trump’s agenda to signing first-in-the nation laws that expand access to health care and regulate the gig economy, California Gov. Gavin Newsom earned no small amount of praise from liberals since he took office in January. But not everybody on the left is happy with the governor’s job performance.
See also:
Update: Here’s how Newsom is doing on 10 campaign promises after his first year of lawmaking Sacramento Bee
California and New York Show the Ugly Face of ‘Progress’ Wall Street Journal
Column: Republicans blame Democratic leadership for California’s problems. They have a point, but … Los Angeles Times
Opinion: Gavin Newsom said he’d be a champion for families. His first year in office shows it
Fresno Bee
Going from talking about an issue on the campaign trail to taking action in the horseshoe is no easy feat. But in his first year in office, Gov. Gavin Newsom has clearly demonstrated he has made young children a top priority.
See also:
Two separate recall efforts launched against California Gov. Newsom, but face steep uphill battle
abc30
Two Republican politicians have launched separate efforts to recall Gov. Gavin Newsom, (D) California, but political analysts say their chances of success are slim for now.
Glitches in California Embolden Automatic Voter Registration Foes
Pew Trusts
California’s rollout of automatic voter registration didn’t go as planned. It seemed like a good idea: Cut the bureaucracy by adding voters automatically and welcome more residents to political participation.
New California earthquake alert system can warn you seconds before shaking starts
Sacramento Bee
People across California can receive earthquake warnings seconds before they feel shaking through a new cell phone alert system starting Thursday, the 30th anniversary of the Loma Prieta earthquake.
See also:
Earthquake warning app will give anyone in California the chance to prepare Los Angeles Times
10-second warning. What do you do? San Francisco Chronicle
California Earthquake Alerts To Become Available Statewide KPBS
Fact check: Do Californians really cool on ballot measures as the election approaches?
CalMatters
Conventional wisdom holds that support for ballot measures always declines the closer you get to election day. Is that true? We ran the numbers.
Federal:
This Trump rule change will mean lower wages for farmworkers
CALmatters
Growers would benefit from the proposed changes to the H-2A visa program, which allows agricultural employers to temporarily employ guest workers from other countries.
Trump Wrong on U.S. Agriculture Exports to China
Fact Check
In announcing “phase one” of a tentative trade deal with China, President Donald Trump wrongly stated that the “all-time high” for U.S. agricultural exports to China was “$16 or $17 billion.” Actually, it was nearly $26 billion in 2012.
Los Angeles Times
The court has virtually complete discretion about whether to hear a case. I do not understand why the justices keep secret their votes on which ones to take.
Elections 2020:
Fresno Bee
A San Joaquin Valley Republican trying to return to Congress raising more money for a 2020 campaign than the Democrat who defeated him last year. Former Rep. David Valadao, raised about $530,000 in the first campaign finance reporting period since he announced his intent to challenge incumbent Rep. TJ Cox, D-Fresno.
Democratic Debate: The Moments That Mattered
Wall Street Journal
Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who has been gaining ground in national and early state polls, got the front-runner treatment at Tuesday’s Democratic presidential debate, with several of her opponents challenging her policy positions after largely giving her a pass in previous debates.
See also:
Democrats Push Elizabeth Warren for Plan to Pay for Medicare for All Wall Street Journal
Democrats sound the alarm on Biden’s campaign cash woes Fresno Bee
What Education Ballot Measures Are Voters Considering in the 2019 Elections?
EdNote
In addition to choosing education leaders in several states, voters in four states next month will weigh in on important education policy questions through ballot initiatives. Many states allow some form of a statewide ballot initiative, and the 2018 general election saw 17 states consider 23 measures related to education policy.
What to Expect in the 2019 Elections
EdNote
Although 2019 is an odd year in the election cycle, it holds importance for at least six states, where voters will elect new leaders who will have an impact on state education policy. Like in past years, we are tracking these races closely to keep you informed.
Other:
MADDY INSTITUTE PUBLIC POLICY PROGRAMMING
Sunday, October 13, at 10 a.m. on ABC30 – Maddy Report: “The Road Ahead for Zero-Emision Vehicles in CA” – Guest: F. Noel Perry, Founder of Next 10. 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: “Climate Change and Electric Vehicles: Public Action and Private Markets” – Guests: F. Noel Perry, Founder of Next 10; State Senator Fran Pavley. 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
State considers new restrictions on use of toxic pesticide widely used in Kern
Bakersfield Californian
Another pesticide commonly used in Kern County agriculture has come under close scrutiny by state regulators after air monitoring equipment in Shafter and Parlier detected surprisingly high concentrations of the cancer-causing chemical last year.
This Trump rule change will mean lower wages for farmworkers
CALmatters
Growers would benefit from the proposed changes to the H-2A visa program, which allows agricultural employers to temporarily employ guest workers from other countries.
Trump Wrong on U.S. Agriculture Exports to China
Fact Check
In announcing “phase one” of a tentative trade deal with China, President Donald Trump wrongly stated that the “all-time high” for U.S. agricultural exports to China was “$16 or $17 billion.” Actually, it was nearly $26 billion in 2012.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE / FIRE / PUBLIC SAFETY
Crime:
Juul agrees to stop advertising to youth in settlement with Oakland nonprofit
San Francisco Chronicle
Juul has agreed to restrict advertising to youth as part of a settlement to resolve legal complaints brought by the Center for Environmental Health, a nonprofit that works to protect public health by testing consumer products for potentially harmful materials.
Public Safety:
Fresno has a new, full-time police chief. For the next year, anyway
Fresno Bee
Fresno Police Chief Andy Hall, who has been in the acting position for two months, officially took the permanent job on Wednesday though he’ll only be in there for a little more than a year. He was sworn in at City Hall during a ceremony that praised him while saying goodbye to former Chief Jerry Dyer.
New California earthquake alert system can warn you seconds before shaking starts
Sacramento Bee
People across California can receive earthquake warnings seconds before they feel shaking through a new cell phone alert system starting Thursday, the 30th anniversary of the Loma Prieta earthquake.
See also:
Earthquake warning app will give anyone in California the chance to prepare Los Angeles Times
10-second warning. What do you do? San Francisco Chronicle
California Earthquake Alerts To Become Available Statewide KPBS
KGET
Southern California Edison says it could shut off power to about 1,600 customers in eastern Kern County because of the potential for wildfires related to weather events this week. The National Weather Service has issued a wind advisory in the area beginning Thursday at 8 a.m. through Friday at 2 a.m. Westerly winds are forecast in the area between 20 and 30 mph with gusts as high as 55 mph.
MeToo leader launches new hashtag to mobilize voters
AP News
The new hashtag #MeTooVoter was unveiled Tuesday, on the same day as the fourth Democratic presidential debate and reflects a frustration among activists that issues of sexual violence and harassment have largely been absent from the campaign trail.
Fire:
Called ‘greedy’ by Gavin Newsom and others, PG&E defends mass shutoff as ‘right call’
Fresno Bee
Pacific Gas and Electric is continuing to defend last week’s massive, three-phase blackout that cut power over four days to more than 730,000 customers, a coverage area servicing an estimated two million or more Californians across 35 counties, declaring in statements this week that the shutoff was the “right call.”
See also:
California power outages shed light on political failure San Francisco Chronicle
Southern California Edison considers power shut-offs ahead of high winds Los Angeles Times
Skelton: PG&E, Newsom and lawmakers had months to plan for a power outage. They didn’t plan enough Los Angeles Times
California's Outages Show How Climate Change and Corporate Accountability Are Entangled Time
ECONOMY / JOBS
Economy:
Fed survey finds US economy being hurt by trade battles
Fresno Bee
The U.S. economy was expanding at a modest pace in September and into October despite the fact manufacturing was being hurt by rising trade tensions and weaker global growth while adverse weather was affecting farmers.
Sutter Health, California settle massive antitrust case
Fresno Bee
One of California's largest hospital systems has reached an agreement to settle a massive class-action lawsuit over allegations that it abused its market power and has been overcharging patients for medical bills.
Commentary: California’s economy booms, but a slowdown looms
CalMatters
What’s not to like about California’s economy this summer? The state’s’s $2.6 trillion economy would be the sixth largest in the world were it a nation, and many politicians are already crowing that it may move into the No. 5 spot due to economic turmoil in Great Britain.
2019 California Economic Summit Registration Opens
CAFWD
Register 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:
Kaiser’s biggest union, representing 57,000 California workers, ratifies four-year contract
Sacramento Bee
Roughly 57,000 Kaiser Permanente workers, all working in California, ratified a four-year labor contract agreement that protects certain jobs from outsourcing and creates a program that aims to diminish a national shortage of health care workers, union leaders announced Wednesday.
CA’s Sec of Labor wants the jobs of the future — and she wants them to cut inequality
CalMatters
Can California compete in an increasingly automated world without widening the state's already huge wealth gap? Julie Su, the state's secretary of labor, talks with CalMatters' Judy Lin about inequality, unions and AB 5.
This Trump rule change will mean lower wages for farmworkers
CalMatters
Growers would benefit from the proposed changes to the H-2A visa program, which allows agricultural employers to temporarily employ guest workers from other countries.
How Unpredictable Work Hours Turn Families Upside Down
New York Times
Shifts added or subtracted at short notice play havoc with budgets and lives, and disproportionately hurt black and Hispanic women.
EDUCATION
K-12:
New bill aims to get more children fed. Tulare County has highest participation in state
Visalia Times Delta
A bipartisan bill promises to help children and their families improve access to food assistance and safety net services. Assembly Bill 1377 requires counties across the state to identify an estimated 944,000 children eligible but not yet enrolled for CalFresh benefits, using data from free and reduced-price lunch programs, Medi-Cal and WIC.
See also:
Nearly 1 million children could lose free lunches under new Trump administration rule abc30
Almost 1 million kids could lose automatic eligibility for free school lunches under Trump proposal Los Angeles Times
Career readiness, STEM, various projects showcase Driller Pride during Principal Partners' Day
Bakersfield Californian
More than 400 individuals from local businesses, media, museums and other educational institutions participated in an "open house" at each of the local high schools to get an in-depth look at school programs and resources.
California Muslim students are bullied at nearly twice the national average, report shows
Sacramento Bee
A new report shows that 40 percent of Muslim students in California reported being bullied because of their faith, more than twice the national average for bullying in school for all students.
Higher Ed:
CSUB wins unprecedented national honor for teacher preparation
Bakersfield Californian
The Kern Teacher Residency Program at Cal State Bakersfield — designed to increase the number of teachers in the Central Valley — has earned the Christa McAuliffe Excellence in Teacher Education Award, bestowed by the American Association of State Colleges and Universities.
Kaiser Fresno To Host Nursing Program
KVPR
The San Joaquin Valley’s largest city will soon be home to a new nursing program. Through a program offered by Samuel Merritt University in partnership with Kaiser Permanente Fresno, registered nurses will be able to obtain a Bachelor’s of Science degree in nursing.
Video: Broadening Access to Transfer-Level Courses at California’s Community Colleges
Public Policy Institute of California
The majority of California community college students never complete their education. For many students, the biggest barrier to success has been the traditional approach to remedial education.
ENVIRONMENT/ ENERGY
Environment:
What Happens When Your Town Dries Up (Stratford)?
The Atlantic
California’s Central Valley is one of the most productive agricultural regions in the United States—it yields a third of the produce grown in the country and is the world’s largest supplier of canned tomatoes. But a seven-year drought has threatened the viability of the valley’s farmland, and many rural communities have suffered greatly as a result.
Energy:
How a massive Amazon wind farm promises to change a tiny town in rural America (Tehachapi)
CNBC
Amazon announced three new wind farm projects in April 2019 as part of their goal to become net-zero carbon emissions by 2040. Large wind and solar farms create economic booms for rural communities.
KGET
Southern California Edison says it could shut off power to about 1,600 customers in eastern Kern County because of the potential for wildfires related to weather events this week. The National Weather Service has issued a wind advisory in the area beginning Thursday at 8 a.m. through Friday at 2 a.m. Westerly winds are forecast in the area between 20 and 30 mph with gusts as high as 55 mph.
San Diego Company Says It Can Extract Lithium From Geothermal Brine
PBS
Lithium-ion batteries are central to modern life; from mobile phones to electric vehicles. But the United States lacks a major source of lithium. That could change, thanks to research being conducted on the shores of the Salton Sea.
HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES
Health:
California will be first state to train doctors in how their counsel can prevent gun deaths
Fresno Bee
The state of California will pay $3.85 million to researchers at the University of California, Davis, to develop the nation’s first program to train health care professionals to help their patients reduce firearm-related injury and death, university officials announced Tuesday.
How bad teeth and a lack of dental care can lead to discrimination and poverty
Fresno Bee
Gina Diaz-Nino considers herself an extrovert. But since her mouth began deteriorating after years of methamphetamine use and two fights, she receded into the shadows. Her teeth are yellow, crooked and browning around the corners. Most of her top teeth are either chipped, missing or decaying. When they fell out, they crumbled like chalk.
First case since 1943: Fresno County reports rabies in cat that bit person
Fresno Bee
Fresno County health officials issued an alert Wednesday after a resident was bitten by a rabid domestic cat, the first such case in the region since 1943. Officials recommend that cats be vaccinated for rabies.
Doctors Urge Americans to Get Flu Shots Amid Fears Over Deadly Flu Strain
Wall Street Journal
Doctors are urging Americans to get their flu shots right away after a bad flu season in Australia has raised concerns about the coming season in the U.S. Public health experts often look to the Southern Hemisphere’s influenza patterns for clues of what’s to come.
95% of tested baby foods in the US contain toxic metals, report says
CNN
Toxic heavy metals damaging to your baby's brain development are likely in the baby food you are feeding your infant, according to a new investigation published Thursday.
Human Services:
What’s needed for Valley medical school? About $25 million, feeder programs and more
Modesto Bee
A coalition for medical education convened in Modesto on Wednesday and discussed what it will take to establish a University of California medical school serving the San Joaquin Valley.
Valley Children’s launches initiative to push pediatric care to the next level
Fresno Bee
Valley Children’s Healthcare in Madera on Wednesday announced a new partnership it hopes will help transform pediatric care. Valley Children’s entered into an agreement with The Innovation Institute, a for-profit healthcare company, for this endeavor.
No health insurance? California will help, but you’ll pay if you’re not covered
Los Angeles Times
If you are among the Californians who buy your own health insurance, a surprise may await you as the enrollment period for 2020 coverage opened this week.
California AG and Sutter Health announce settlement of antitrust complaints, averting trial
Sacramento Bee
The California Department of Justice announced Wednesday that it had reached a settlement agreement with Sutter Health over alleged anti-competitive practices in Northern California, abruptly ending a much-anticipated legal trial unfolding in San Francisco.
See also:
Would ‘Medicare for All’ Save Billions or Cost Billions?
New York Times
We asked a handful of economists and think tanks with a range of perspectives to estimate total American health care expenditures in 2019 under such a plan. The chart at the top of this page shows the estimates, both in composition and in total cost.
IMMIGRATION
Sheriff reimbursed $500,000 for keeping undocumented criminals behind bars
Visalia Times Delta
Grant money isn't always guaranteed, but the Tulare County Sheriff's Department will take what it can get. The department just received half-a-million dollars from one such grant program, that, while longstanding, is often in flux and criticized as underfunded.
Most Republicans and Democrats agree: Immigrants make the U.S. a better place to live
Los Angeles Times
In California, a majority of Democratic and Republican voters have found something to agree on: Immigrants make the United States a better place to live. More than 80% of registered voters in the state concur with that opinion.
LAND USE/HOUSING
Land Use:
Work beginning on largest Catholic church in the United States. And it’s in Visalia
Fresno Bee
A vision of John Thomas Steinbock took an important step toward reality Tuesday with groundbreaking for a new Catholic church in Visalia.
Housing:
Ceres has not had a new apartment complex since 2004. That will change soon
Modesto Bee
Ceres will get its first new apartment complex in 15 years – 64 units near the southwest corner of town. The City Council voted unanimously Monday night for the project, on vacant land at the northwest corner of Morgan and Service roads.
One California County Combats Homelessness Crisis With New, Sometimes Controversial Methods
NPR
A quarter of the nation’s homeless people live in the state of California. Reports over the years have described the impact of the homelessness crisis in places like Los Angeles and San Francisco. But smaller cities and towns are also experiencing an uptick — including Bakersfield, California.
Empty Garages: The Answer to California’s Housing Shortage?
New York Times
Garage conversions, granny flats, backyard cottages, in-law apartments, guesthouses, crash pads: In California as of 2017, they’re all “accessory dwelling units,” or ADU. Governor Gavin Newsom signed a law this month that further encourages their construction.
This group is joining with Sacramento’s homeless to clean up trash on the riverfront
Sacramento Bee
Volunteers from Mercy Pedalers, a nonprofit that provides homeless assistance, collaborated with about 20 area homeless men and women Wednesday morning on an American River levee cleanup in Sacramento that the organizers hope to make a reoccurring event.
PUBLIC FINANCES
A ‘royal’ waste of tax dollars: California agency spends thousands on toilets, flowers
Sacramento Bee
How soon we forget the lessons of the past. The California Prison Industry Authority is under fire for spending $12,000 to hold a retirement bash for a manager who retired earlier this year.
California has reformed consumer loan interest rates. But will lenders find loopholes?
CALmatters
The people of California, through their legislature and governor, just decided to end a decades-long, unbridled fleecing of millions of the state’s borrowers. Some predatory lenders, however, may launch a scheme that could, for their companies, effectively overturn that sovereign decision.
Who Pays What in Taxes? The Answer Isn't So Simple.
Wall Street Journal
It is a tax policy question with a seemingly simple answer: Who pays what? In reality, how taxes are distributed across income groups is hotly debated by economists—with enormous policy consequences.
TRANSPORTATION
Newsom says gas tax use legal, accuses critics of intentionally conflating issues
Politico
Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday answered critics who've accused him of a "bait and switch" by diverting gas tax money from road projects, saying that the law is "locked in'' and the money will be "used for its intended purposes, full stop."
See also:
EDITORIAL: Caltrans blindsides Kern, Valley with ‘bait and switch’ Bakersfield Californian
Letter to the Editor: Complete the Highway 46 east corridor
Bakersfield Californian
The completion of the highway improvements to the Highway 46 east corridor is of the utmost importance due primarily to public safety. Funds should not be diverted.
Federal Highway Administration to test bedrock depth along road in Sequoia National Park
Visalia Times Delta
The Federal Highway Administration will conduct tests to determine bedrock depth in several spots along in Sequoia National Park. To assess the subsurface composition, truck-mounted drill rigs will drill 8-inch wide holes up to 70 feet deep in five areas.
The Livability Discussion Part II: Transportation and Innovation
Public CEO
California Gov. Gavin Newsom sent a strong warning to cities and counties early this year: Meet your state housing goals or forfeit your Senate Bill 1, or “Gas Tax,” road repair dollars. “Housing is transportation, and transportation is housing,” he said when announcing his budget plans in January.
Congestion pricing is all around us. Why is it taboo on our roads?
Brookings
Think about a day in the life of a typical office worker in the Washington, D.C. area. They take Metro to get to the office on time, order lunch to be delivered from the busy restaurant down the street, purchase tickets to a weekend matinee film, and call a Lyft home as hockey fans swarm the Metro. Finally, they end the night streaming a show on high-speed internet.
WATER
What Happens When Your Town Dries Up (Stratford)?
The Atlantic
California’s Central Valley is one of the most productive agricultural regions in the United States—it yields a third of the produce grown in the country and is the world’s largest supplier of canned tomatoes. But a seven-year drought has threatened the viability of the valley’s farmland, and many rural communities have suffered greatly as a result.
“Xtra”
Here are all the fright-filled events you’ll need to get through Halloween season
Fresno Bee
Halloween has become the de facto fall holiday, which means there’s a full season’s worth of celebratory happenings crammed into a single month. And now that the Big Fresno Fair is over, we can really enjoy it. Here’s a sampling of events through October.
Blake Shelton is returning to Fresno. He’s bringing along his friends and heroes
Fresno Bee
Blake Shelton is relaunching his Friends and Heroes tour for 2020 with a 16-day show run across the Midwest and West Coast. It includes a stop at Fresno’s Save Mart Center.
Taste the Arts returns to downtown Visalia with art, music and food
Visalia Times Delta
The 10th- annual Taste The Arts — three city blocks of art, culture, and wellness activities — event is Oct. 19 in downtown Visalia. Artists will display their work on Garden Street between the Garden Street Plaza and the Old Lumberyard.
Opera Modesto brings story of love, betrayal with next production at Gallo Center
Modesto Bee
Love, betrayal, revenge — how far will a parent go to protect a child? That’s the question asked, according to Opera Modesto, in its upcoming production. “Rigoletto” will be staged Friday, Oct. 25, and Sunday, Oct. 27, at the Gallo Center for the Arts by the company, formerly known as Townsend Opera.
Test yourself with our new free game: PolitiTruth
Think you can tell the difference between True and False?
Do you really know what is fake news?
Support the Maddy Daily
Thank you!
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.
This document is to be used for informational purposes only. Unless specifically noted, The Maddy Institute at California State University, Fresno does not officially endorse or support views that may be expressed in the document. If you want to print a story, please do so now before the link expires.
To Subscribe or Unsubscribe: mjeans@csufresno.edu