POLICY & POLITICS
North SJ Valley:
Newsom’s homeless task force coming to Modesto and public can attend meeting
Modesto Bee
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s task force on homelessness will be in Modesto on Friday for its inaugural meeting, and the public can attend the morning session. The meeting is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Stanislaus Veterans Center.
Two mothers and a son at the center of a ‘straight pride’ culture war
Los Angeles Times
After a month of controversy that brought mass attention to a mid-sized Central Valley city, a planned “straight pride” event in Modesto went off with more of a whimper than a bang last Saturday.
Central SJ Valley:
Latest Devin Nunes lawsuit targets Fusion GPS, the firm that dug up dirt on Trump in 2016
Fresno Bee
Rep. Devin Nunes has filed his fourth lawsuit of the year Wednesday, this time against political research firm Fusion GPS and a Democratic group called Campaign for Accountability.
See also:
Devin Nunes back in court: Drops Tulare County suit, files another case in Virginia Visalia Times Delta
Rep. Nunes drops lawsuit against constituents who called him 'fake farmer,' goes after 'dark money' groups Roll Call
Is Fresno’s Measure P headed to the state Supreme Court? Local judge rules on parks tax question
Fresno Bee
A Fresno County Superior Court judge on Thursday agreed with the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association that two-thirds voter approval was needed to enact the citizen-led Measure P parks sales tax on the November 2018 ballot.
See also:
South SJ Valley:
Emilio Huerta considering bid to challenge Supervisor Couch in 2020
KGET
The son of civil rights icon Dolores Huerta might jump into the race to unseat Kern County Supervisor David Couch next year. Emilio Huerta, a Bakersfield attorney, told 17’s Jim Scott that he is seriously considering a bid to take on 4th District Supervisor David Couch in 2020. Huerta said he has set up an exploratory committee and is doing his due diligence.
Kern County Fair to install metal detectors at gates, beef up perimeter security
Bakersfield Californian
The Kern County Fair board of directors has decided to install metal detection equipment at all three primary entrances to the 2019 Kern County Fair throughout its 12-day run. The fair's management expects more than 425,000 people to pass through its gates this year.
KLEA narrowly approves contract proposed by Board of Supervisors
Bakersfield Californian
Deputies at the Kern County Sheriff’s Office will soon have a new contract in place after the Kern Law Enforcement Association narrowly voted to approve the county’s proposal, the union announced late Wednesday.
State:
Homeless California college students can’t sleep on campus. Lawmaker pulls housing crisis bill
Fresno Bee
Assemblyman Marc Berman, D-Palo Alto, said he revive his proposal, Assembly Bill 302, next year rather than let it move forward after top Democratic lawmakers amended it in a manner that he believed weakened it.
California vaccine bill supporters and critics are baffled by Newsom’s sudden changes
Los Angeles Times
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s effort to change legislation that would tighten immunization rules for California schoolchildren could prompt a rush for new vaccine exemptions, revisions that go far beyond what his advisors have insisted would be nothing more than a “technical” tweaking of the proposal.
See Also:
The science on vaccination safety is clear. Why is Gov. Newsom waffling on SB 276? Sacramento Bee
Exclusive: Where Does Newsom Stand On Vaccinations? PoliticoPro
Most Californians Favor Requiring Vaccinations CALmatters
How anti-vaxxers are helping polio make a comeback in Pakistan Los Angeles Times
Fox: On SB 276, What Will Gavin Newsom Do? Maybe he should Consult Cotton Mather Fox & Hounds
Californians: See how liberal or conservative your state legislators are
CALmatters
What does political polarization look like in California? Sometimes you can see it in the news, where state lawmakers might seem as focused on the latest inter-party national debate as they are on practical matters of the Golden State.
A law intended to create more transparency misleads voters. This bill will fix it
CALmatters
In California, we make it exceptionally hard to fund critical local services, such as firefighting, public schools, and mental health services. We cap property taxes, we require local communities and schools to go to the voters for almost any form of revenue, and local revenue measures usually require a super-majority two-thirds vote of the electorate.
2020 Census Moving Forward, Resources Available for California Counties
PublicCEO
Genealogy is a pretty big deal in my family. My mother’s family arrived in this country before the American Revolution. Thanks to the very first census record in 1790 and other sources, we’ve traced our lineage to Martin Van Buren, the eighth U.S. President, and later records helped map our family connection to Norman Jay Coleman, the first U.S. Secretary of Agriculture.
This pro-choice, Mexico-embracing mayor could be California GOP’s future
San Francisco Chronicle
Kevin Faulconer is the pro-choice, pro-same-sex marriage, climate-change acknowledging, Mexico-embracing, Spanish-speaking mayor of San Diego who didn’t vote for President Trump. In other words, he’s the embodiment of everything the California Republican Party isn’t.
Governor Newsom Signs AB 1266
CalBike
Governor Gavin Newsom signed a bill today that will make it safer for bicycle riding in California at busy intersections. The bill requires Caltrans to develop a street marking or design that allows cyclists to go straight from a right or left turn lane and to safely cross outside of the high-traffic lanes.
Federal:
Can President Trump Really Tweet A Highly Classified Satellite Photo? Yep, He Can
KVPR
There are still few details about how the image made its way to Trump's Twitter account. The president received his daily intelligence briefing at 11:30 a.m. ET, about two hours before the tweet.
Trump tries to reroute hurricane to fit his reality, continuing a pattern
Los Angeles Times
Even as Hurricane Dorian roared up the East Coast on Thursday and hammered the Carolinas with dangerous wind and storm surges, President Trump refused to retreat from a related storm of his own making.
Trump administration gutted anti-terrorism programs. Bipartisan officials want an explanation
Los Angeles Times
The Republican and Democratic leaders of both the Senate and House Homeland Security committees are formally questioning why the Trump administration has cut programs intended to prevent terrorism involving weapons of mass destruction.
Trump’s Fannie-Freddie plan would end a decade of U.S. control of housing finance
Los Angeles Times
The Trump administration laid out its vision for releasing Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac from more than a decade of federal control, issuing a long-awaited plan that marks the government’s boldest step yet toward shaking up housing finance and closing one of the final chapters of the 2008 financial crisis.
See also:
Trump administration seeks major mortgage finance overhaul Politico
Trump Administration Aims to Privatize Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Wall Street Journal
Trump administration releases plan to revamp housing market, end federal control of Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac The Washington Post
California National Guard will lose $8M to border wall plan
Associated Press
Gov. Gavin Newsom says California will lose $8 million meant to help the National Guard assist in firefighting under a new Trump administration plan related to the border wall. The Pentagon said Wednesday it will divert $3.6 billion from projects in U.S. states, territories and other countries to help pay for 175 miles of fencing along the U.S.-Mexico border.
See also:
Pentagon to Divert Money From 127 Projects to Pay for Trump’s Border Wall New York Times
Child care centers, cybersecurity facility among Pentagon projects delayed for wall Roll Call
Fact Checker: More than two years later, Trump’s wall remains unbuilt Washington Post
‘It’s Kind of Like an Addiction’: On the Road With Trump’s Rally Diehards
Wall Street Journal
Libby DePiero once drove her Ford Focus so far to attend a Trump campaign rally—about 1,000 miles from her home in Connecticut to Indiana—that when she lay in bed that night she thought the twitching in her driving leg was coming from an animal under the mattress.
Elections 2020:
A ban on gas-powered cars? 2020 Democrats embrace what once was a California fantasy
Sacramento Bee
Democrats running for president had a message for Americans on Wednesday night: you are going to have to wean yourselves off your gas-powered cars.
Trump’s National Campaign Manager To Headline California GOP Convention This Weekend
Capital Public Radio
California Republicans gather for their state party convention starting Friday, with new leadership and nowhere to go but up after losing virtually every competitive race in last year’s midterms.
See also:
Andrew Yang wants to give you $1,000 a month
Los Angeles Times
The support for Yang’s single-focus campaign — he wants to create a national universal basic income to counter the impacts of automation — is lodged in the single digits in the polls.
LGBTQ-focused town hall with 2020 Democratic candidates to be held in Los Angeles
Los Angeles Times
An LGBTQ-focused town hall featuring 2020 Democratic presidential candidates will be held in downtown Los Angeles next month, the Human Rights Campaign Foundation announced Thursday.
Kamala Harris releases $10-trillion plan to fight climate change
Los Angeles Times
Kamala Harris unveiled a $10-trillion plan to slash greenhouse gas emissions and avert the worst impacts of climate change, joining the chorus of Democratic presidential contenders who have vowed aggressive action to combat global warming.
See also:
2020 Power Rankings: Welcome to the third tier, Kamala Harris Washington Post
Four years ago, Joe Biden viewed Elizabeth Warren as a possible running mate; now they’re sparring
Los Angeles Times
As Vice President Joe Biden contemplated challenging Hillary Clinton for the Democratic nomination in August of 2015, he scheduled a private Saturday lunch. Sen. Elizabeth Warren was the guest, and Biden had an audacious idea on his mind.
Small donors don’t cut it for many Democratic candidates. Back to the rich
Los Angeles Times
After all the promises that fundraising-as-usual was behind them and that charming the wealthy over canapes would take a backseat to chatting with regular human beings, Democratic presidential candidates spent a lot of time this summer in the Hamptons.
California’s likely voters: They’re older, richer and whiter
San Francisco Chronicle
The study, which is based on the institute’s polling of more than 14,000 California voters in the past year, found that while whites make up 42% of California adults, they are 58% of the likely voters. Latinos are 35% of the state’s adults, but just 19% of likely voters.
Biden and Beto are like night and day — except when they’re potato-potahto
Roll Call
Just ask the Carolinas, where one woman says she’d ‘vote for a tree stump’ over Trump.
Other:
Hackers Hit Twitter C.E.O. Jack Dorsey in a ‘SIM Swap.’ You’re at Risk, Too
New York Times
When hackers took over the Twitter account of Twitter’s chief executive, Jack Dorsey, last week, they used an increasingly common and hard-to-stop technique that can give them complete access to a wide array of the most sensitive digital accounts, including social media, email and financial accounts.
New York announces antitrust investigation into Facebook, kicking off multistate effort
Washington Post
New York is leading a multistate investigation of Facebook for possible antitrust violations, Attorney General Letitia James announced Friday, kicking off a bipartisan wave of independent state inquiries targeting the social media giant as well as Google’s parent company, Alphabet.
Wall Street Journal
It may be time to take the big G out of Google. The company called Google has turned itself into a generic metaphor for our politicized times.
MADDY INSTITUTE PUBLIC POLICY PROGRAMMING
Sunday, September 8, at 10 a.m. on ABC30 – Maddy Report: “Fed Courts with Judge O’Neill” – Guests: Lawrence O'Neil, Chief U.S. District Judge; McGregor Scott, U.S. Attorney General for the Eastern District; Daniel Jamison, Dowling Aaron; and Richard Watters, Miles, Sears & Eanni. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.
Sunday, September 8, at 10 a.m. on Newstalk 580AM/105.9FM (KMJ) – Maddy Report - Valley Views Edition: “More Issues, Fewer Federal Judges: What Will it Mean for the Valley?” – Guests: Lawrence O'Neil, Chief U.S. District Judge; McGregor Scott, U.S. Attorney General for the Eastern District; Daniel Jamison, Dowling Aaron; Richard Watters, Miles, Sears & Eanni; and California's Former Legislative Analyst, Mac Taylor. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.
Sunday, September 8, at 7:30 a.m. on UniMas 61 (KTTF) – El Informe Maddy: “California Supreme Court: Special Taxes Are Special” – Invitados: Liam Dillon with Los Angeles Times, Jesse Rojas with Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, and Alexei Koseff with Sacramento Bee. Presentado Por: Coordinadora del Programa del Maddy Institute, Maria Jeans.
AGRICULTURE/FOOD
California Meat-Processing Company Recalls Nearly 25,000 Pounds of Raw Beef Deemed Unsafe to Eat
Fox 40
American Beef Packers, Inc., of Chino, California, deemed the beef “unfit for human consumption,” according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE / FIRE / PUBLIC SAFETY
Crime:
Sacramento agrees to pay $2.4 million to Stephon Clark’s sons, court filings say
Fresno Bee
The city of Sacramento has agreed to pay out $2.4 million to the children of Stephon Clark to settle a federal civil rights lawsuit filed by his family after police shot the unarmed black man in March 2018, according to newly filed court documents.
See also:
Sacramento Will Pay Stephon Clark’s Children $2.4 Million In Wrongful Death Lawsuit Settlement Capital Public Radio
Sacramento cops acted with misconduct in striking teen, city says. They’re still on the job
Sacramento Bee
Two days after Sacramento police fatally shot Stephon Clark in 2018, two other Sacramento police officers allegedly struck a black teen in the face while he lay in a UC Davis Medical Center hospital bed with a gunshot wound.
New business aims to help police root out squatters
Bakersfield Californian
It's a sign of how bad the situation with squatters has become in Irma Hall's neighborhood that twice in recent months a house near hers caught fire and both times people not authorized to live there fled amid the blaze.
BPD police chief reiterates department's commitment following arrest of assistant chief
Bakersfield Californian
It's been a difficult week for the Bakersfield Police Department, according to chief Lyle Martin.
Suspect in shooting of deputy in Central Valley captured
Los Angeles Times
Authorities have captured a man who allegedly shot and wounded a sheriff’s sergeant in Central California.
Public Safety:
California Senate OKs expansion of 'red flag' gun law
abc30
Employers, co-workers and teachers could ask judges to take away guns from people who are deemed a danger to themselves or others under a bill that has cleared the California Senate.
See also:
California must finally end the backlog of unprocessed rape kits. Here’s how
CALmatters
After a sexual assault, survivors undergo an incredibly invasive procedure, typically involving being examined, swabbed and photographed for several hours. The specific purpose is to collect DNA and other evidence used to identify the perpetrator.
Fire:
Tehama County fire explodes to 5,000 acres, evacuations ordered, air attack underway
Fresno Bee
A 5,000-acre wildfire erupted west of the Tehama County community of Red Bluff Thursday afternoon, and it chewed its way north through heavy brush, prompting evacuations of rural homes and ranches as it sent up a massive plume of smoke visible for miles.
See also:
Tenaja fire near Murrieta grows to 1,974 acres as evacuations remain in place Los Angeles Times
PG&E wildfire payment plan dies in Capitol, for now
Sacramento Bee
PG&E Corp.’s major shareholders said Friday that a bill the company deemed necessary to pay wildfire victims was dead in the Legislature until January.
Layoffs planned after fire tax fails in rural California — on same day firefighters are injured
Sacramento Bee
The same day two of their firefighters were nearly killed when their engine was destroyed by a wildfire, El Dorado County property owners rejected a parcel tax that would have kept one of them on the payroll.
ECONOMY / JOBS
Economy:
US, Chinese envoys to meet in October for tariff war talks
Stockton Record
U.S. and Chinese envoys will meet in early October for more talks aimed at ending a tariff war that threatens global economic growth. Officials will “conduct conscientious consultations” in mid-September to prepare, the ministry said.
See also:
Stocks jump and bonds tumble on plans for renewed U.S.-China trade talks Los Angeles Times
China and U.S. to resume trade talks in Washington in October Los Angeles Times
Latest round of Trump’s tariffs on China takes effect on many consumer goods Los Angeles Times
Beacon Economics
California's export trade fell again in the latest numbers from the U.S. Census. While the state's overall economy remains on solid footing with imports ticking up, the current global climate is challenging even the most resourceful exporters.
Predicting California’s Economic Health
PPIC
With some indicators pointing to a potential downturn in the near future, PPIC’s Statewide Survey offers a unique perspective on California’s economic outlook.
The Federal-State Fiscal Relationship in Times of Recession: Planning Ahead by Looking Back
PEW Charitable Trusts
As the economy continues the longest period of expansion in its history, economists are weighing the likelihood of a downturn. The last two recessions, in 2001 and 2007, significantly affected state revenue, prompting the federal government to provide emergency stimulus funding to help states shore up their budgets.
Understanding the Experiences of Californians Under the Three Major Poverty Measures
California Budget & Policy Center
As the Budget Center's recent Labor Day report showed, California workers are locked of the state's prosperity that they help to create. Many families, seniors, and other individuals struggle to pay for their basic needs and live in poverty across the state. And when the US Census Bureau releases new national and state-level figures on poverty and health coverage next week, we will have an updated picture of how many Californians are struggling to afford to live, work, and raise families in their communities.
Trade Uncertainty Likely to Cut U.S. Growth by More Than 1%, Fed Research Says
Wall Street Journal
Uncertainty over trade policy is likely to reduce U.S. economic output by more than 1% through early 2020, new research from Federal Reserve economists suggests.
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:
Union backs down from fight with Fresno teachers over fees increase
Fresno Bee
Six teachers got a favorable settlement this week in a lawsuit claiming the Fresno Teachers Association improperly raised union dues earlier this year. The union added a $5 increase to the dues of Fresno’s more than 4,000 teachers, which totaled $200,000 a year.
A California bill that would ban forced arbitration heads to Gov. Newsom
Los Angeles Times
When companies in California tell job candidates they have to give up their right to sue the company for most disputes, a bill headed to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk would let the candidates decline without fear of losing their job offer.
Gig Work With Benefits: California May Expand Employee Perks To Contract Workers
KVPR
California's state Legislature is reopening that high-stakes, decades-long debate, as it prepares to vote on a proposal that would give hundreds of thousands of contract workers, such as Uber and Lyft drivers, new benefits by legally reclassifying them as employees.
See also:
A Bill To Fix Or Foul California’s Gig Economy Capital Public Radio
Some sectors warn that AB5 could hurt workers, raise prices
San Francisco Chronicle
As California moves forward with legislation that could turn many independent contractors into employees, some industries are vociferously protesting that the changes could hurt their workers and raise costs for consumers.
See Also:
Washington Post
The U.S. economy added a disappointing 130,000 jobs in August, the Labor Department said Friday, heightening fears that President Trump’s trade war is starting to bite.
See Also:
U.S. Adds 130,000 Jobs in August as Hiring Slows Down Wall Street Journal
Watch Friday’s Jobs Report for Signs of a Deepening Slowdown Wall Street Journal
Black unemployment rate falls to a record low
CNN
Black unemployment fell to a record low in August, helped by a jump in the number of black women on the job.
EDUCATION
K-12:
Close to 200 Kern County students went back to school this week — online, that is
Bakersfield Californian
One solution to balance the best of both worlds might be to turn to a transitional kindergarten to 12th grade online school, like high school sophomore Bryn Johnson did several years ago.
Bakersfield Californian
They're now calling for a districtwide student-led committee that will have direct and proactive action when it comes to discrimination, harassment and intolerance surrounding LGBTQ and other minority students.
KHSD reveals top 8 names for newest high school
Bakersfield Californian
Kern High School District's newest southeast Bakersfield high school will soon have a name attached to it after the top eight entries were revealed to the Board of Trustees Tuesday.
See also:
PRICE: Welcome to Vanilla HS, kids, home of the Fightin' Puddings Bakersfield Californian
Gov. Newsom, lawmakers still negotiating K-14 construction bond
EdSource
Negotiations over the next few days between the Newsom administration, the Department of Finance and legislative leaders will determine whether there will be a California state bond for K-12 and community college construction on the March 2020 ballot, as well as the size of the bond and how the money will be distributed.
Higher Ed:
DEADLINE TODAY - LEGISLATIVE INTERN SCHOLAR PROGRAM FALL 2019
Qualify for a scholarship of up to $1,500
The Maddy Scholar Intern Program’s goal is to prepare the next generation of political, governmental, business, non-profit leaders for the San Joaquin Valley through internship opportunities in local, state and federal government offices in Washington, D.C., Sacramento and throughout the region.
LeBron James wants college athletes to get paid. Will California pass a law to make it happen?
Sacramento Bee
King James is throwing his might behind a California bill that would pave the way for college athletes to get paid. NBA superstar LeBron James gave a major boost to a proposed law that would allow students to get paid for their name, image and likeness.
Federal student loan forgiveness program rejects almost everyone, again
Los Angeles Times
Americans who spend at least a decade in public service jobs and faithfully make their federal student loan payments shouldn’t owe any more. That’s the idea behind a student debt forgiveness program launched under President George W. Bush.
UC Merced Ranks Top Ten in Nation in First-Generation Student Performance for Washington Monthly
UC Merced Newsroom
UC Merced moved into the top 10 in the country in first-generation student performance in the Washington Monthly 2019 College Guide and Rankings released last week. The university — with more than 73 percent of the undergraduate student population being first generation, double the national average and the highest percentage in the UC system — ranked No. 8, jumping five spots from No. 13 in the 2018 rankings.
Parking lots stay off-limits overnight for homeless community college students
CALmatters
The demise of a high-profile proposal to let homeless students sleep overnight in community college parking lots illustrates just how much California has struggled to solve the student housing crisis. When Assemblyman Marc Berman introduced the bill in the Legislature earlier this year, it was met with equal parts applause and ridicule.
California Again Considers Making Abortion Pills Available at Public Colleges
KQED
When Jessy Rosales was a sophomore at UC Riverside, she had a boyfriend and she was taking birth control pills. Then out of nowhere, she started feeling sick. "I just thought it was the stomach flu," she says. "It turns out I was pregnant."
Apprenticeships:
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ENVIRONMENT/ ENERGY
Environment:
Watchdog says Interior Department broke the law by using park fees during shutdown
abc30
An independent government watchdog says the Interior Department violated spending laws by using money meant for maintenance and improvements in national parks to pay for day-to-day operations during the government shutdown.
The ‘Blob’ is back: New marine heat wave emerges off West Coast
San Jose Mercury
A massive marine heat wave that caused record warming of ocean waters off the West Coast five years ago, sending salmon numbers crashing and malnourished sea lions washing up on beaches across California and other Pacific states, is back, scientists said Thursday.
See also:
A giant mass of warm water off the Pacific Coast could rival ‘the blob’ of 2014-15 Los Angeles Times
It’s crunch time for California’s plan to phase out single-use plastics by 2030
Los Angeles Times
With pressure mounting to address the state’s recycling crisis, California lawmakers are close to deciding on three far-reaching pieces of plastics legislation, including one that would phase out non-recyclable single-use packaging containers by 2030.
White House Prepares to Revoke California’s Right to Set Tougher Pollution Rules
New York Times
President Trump is strongly considering a plan to revoke California’s legal authority to set state tailpipe pollution standards that are stricter than federal regulations, according to three people familiar with the matter.
EPA Wants to Revoke California Auto Regulation Powers
Bloomberg
The Trump administration is preparing a plan to strip California’s authority to set tougher auto efficiency regulations than the federal government, even while agencies continue finalizing a rollback of national standards, according to people familiar with the matter.
Energy:
Trump rolls back energy requirements for billions of lightbulbs
Los Angeles Times
The Trump administration is rolling back Obama-era rules that expanded energy-use requirements for some of the most commonly used lightbulbs.
PG&E’s Long Record of Run-Ins With Regulators: A ‘Cat and Mouse Game’
Wall Street Journal
In-house audits at PG&E Corp. as early as 2010 said workers were falsifying records of ground-marking at excavation sites intended to protect buried electricity cables and gas pipelines. The workers made it appear they were keeping up with their workload when they were not.
See Also:
PG&E Penalties and Settlements Through the Years Wall Street Journal
OPINION: Another Payoff for Ethanol
Wall Street Journal
The damage from President Trump’s trade war is compounding, and so are the political and policy complications. The President is pondering more sops to the ethanol lobby to placate farmers who are angry about his tariffs. Better to fix trade mistakes than to double the harm by genuflecting to Lord Corn.
HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES
Health:
Valley doctors are writing fewer opioid prescriptions. Is it enough to curb crisis?
Fresno Bee
Since prescription rates per 1,000 residents peaked earlier this decade, the number of prescriptions for opioid narcotics such as hydrocodone, oxycodone, codeine and others in the five Valley counties are down by as much as 24.7 percent.
California vaccine bill supporters and critics are baffled by Newsom’s sudden changes
Los Angeles Times
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s effort to change legislation that would tighten immunization rules for California schoolchildren could prompt a rush for new vaccine exemptions, revisions that go far beyond what his advisors have insisted would be nothing more than a “technical” tweaking of the proposal.
See Also:
The science on vaccination safety is clear. Why is Gov. Newsom waffling on SB 276? Sacramento Bee
Exclusive: Where Does Newsom Stand On Vaccinations? PoliticoPro
Most Californians Favor Requiring Vaccinations CALmatters
How anti-vaxxers are helping polio make a comeback in Pakistan Los Angeles Times
Fox: On SB 276, What Will Gavin Newsom Do? Maybe he should Consult Cotton Mather Fox & Hounds
Why The Measles Surge Could Open The Door To A Host Of Other Diseases
KVPR
There's mounting evidence that when a person is infected with measles, the virus also wipes out the immune system's memory of how to fight off all sorts of other life-threatening infections.
Paging More Doctors: California’s Worsening Physician Shortage
Capital Public Radio
California is facing a growing shortage of primary care physicians, one that is already afflicting rural areas and low-income inner city areas, and is forecasted to impact millions of people within 10 years.
Vegetarians might have higher risk of stroke than meat eaters, study says
CNN
Non-meat diets have soared in popularity with many people ditching beef, pork and chicken in pursuit of health and environmental benefits and concerns about animal welfare.
Washington Post
Officials investigating a mysterious outbreak of lung disease — more than 200 cases have been reported in 25 states — detected an oil derived from Vitamin E in marijuana vaping products used in different parts of the country, The Washington Post has found. Vitamin E acetate is a common nutritional supplement also used in topical skin treatments, but it could be dangerous when inhaled, experts said.
Human Services:
Bakersfield Heart Hospital offers new COPD treatment
Bakersfield Californian
Bakersfield Heart Hospital has begun offering a minimally invasive procedure approved last year for treatment of emphysema. The procedure uses the relatively simple process of bronchoscopy to implant valves that block off diseased parts of lungs.
Food stamp expansion for low-income elderly and disabled Californians off to rapid start
Sacramento Bee
In the first few months of expanding its food stamp program to include more low-income elderly and disabled residents who previously did not qualify, California has been seeing a surge of applications, according to data from the state.
California at odds over whether to make insurers cover infertility treatments
CALmatters
Lawmakers aren't requiring health insurers to more broadly cover infertility treatment. But an advancing bill would compel insurers to cover fertility preservation for cancer patients if treatment endangers their ability to have children.
California Again Considers Making Abortion Pills Available at Public Colleges
KQED
When Jessy Rosales was a sophomore at UC Riverside, she had a boyfriend and she was taking birth control pills. Then out of nowhere, she started feeling sick. "I just thought it was the stomach flu," she says. "It turns out I was pregnant."
IMMIGRATION
Fresno State will now offer free immigration legal services
abc30
Fresno State is joining their fellow CSU campuses in providing students and employees immigration legal services. It's all made possible because of state funding. In just over a week students and staff at Fresno State will have access to the free expert legal advice.
Supreme Court may again fast-track a legal dispute over Trump’s immigration plans
Los Angeles Times
The Supreme Court is weighing a fast-track appeal from the Trump administration that seeks to close the door to nearly all migrants who seek asylum at the southern border. And once again, the justices are being asked to decide a far-reaching legal question on a rushed basis, without the usual oral arguments or months of deliberation.
California National Guard will lose $8M to border wall plan
Associated Press
Gov. Gavin Newsom says California will lose $8 million meant to help the National Guard assist in firefighting under a new Trump administration plan related to the border wall. The Pentagon said Wednesday it will divert $3.6 billion from projects in U.S. states, territories and other countries to help pay for 175 miles of fencing along the U.S.-Mexico border.
See also:
Pentagon to Divert Money From 127 Projects to Pay for Trump’s Border Wall New York Times
Child care centers, cybersecurity facility among Pentagon projects delayed for wall Roll Call
Trump’s Return-to-Mexico Policy Overwhelms Immigration Courts
Wall Street Journal
In a cramped courtroom on the eighth floor of a San Diego office building, immigration Judge Jesus Clemente had a question for a young woman named Michele: “Madame, how old are you?”
Six maps that reveal America’s expanding racial diversity
Brookings
A pre-2020 census look at the wide dispersal of the nation’s Hispanic, Asian and black populations.
LAND USE/HOUSING
Land Use:
New Panera, Farmer Boys and Huckleberry’s locations open in Stanislaus County cities
Modesto Bee
Just off Turlock’s Monte Vista Crossings Shopping Center, a new Farmer Boys opened Monday. In Riverbank’s Crossroads Shopping Center, the new Panera Bread opened Tuesday. And in the Oakdale Station Shopping Center, the Huckleberry’s opened Aug. 28.
Is Fresno’s Measure P headed to the state Supreme Court? Local judge rules on parks tax question
Fresno Bee
A Fresno County Superior Court judge on Thursday agreed with the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association that two-thirds voter approval was needed to enact the citizen-led Measure P parks sales tax on the November 2018 ballot.
See also:
Kern County proposes shelter near site that city recently eliminated from consideration
Bakersfield Californian
Kern County officials are proposing a low-barrier homeless shelter about a block away from a location the city of Bakersfield recently stepped back from after property owners raised concerns. Situated on a county-owned site north of Golden State Avenue, between M Street and O Street, the 4.6 acre site could provide easily accessible shelter for about 150 homeless individuals. The Board of Supervisors is expected to vote on the proposal Tuesday.
Housing:
Kern County proposes homeless shelter near site that Bakersfield officials recently pulled back from
Bakersfield Californian
Kern County officials are proposing a low-barrier homeless shelter about a block away from a location the city of Bakersfield recently stepped back from after property owners raised concerns.
Why many Stanislaus County landlords reject Section 8 vouchers — and what can be done
Modesto Bee
The notice gave Modesto resident Lori Greenhalgh exactly 90 days to find another place to live. The property manager explained to Greenhalgh that the apartment building off McHenry Avenue was due for renovations.
Trump’s tariffs made California’s housing crisis worse: A ‘perfect storm of the wrong kind’
Sacramento Bee
President Donald Trump’s tariffs have created the “perfect storm” at the wrong moment for the housing industry, California builders say. The California Building Industry Association estimates tariffs have driven up the cost of an average-size new home by $20,000 to $30,000.
Here’s how California’s new plan to cap rent increases would work
Los Angeles Times
California lawmakers are on the verge of approving one of the only state laws in the nation to limit rent increases after Gov. Gavin Newsom announced a deal with legislative leaders last week on a bill to cap annual rent hikes.
Trump’s Fannie-Freddie plan would end a decade of U.S. control of housing finance
Los Angeles Times
The Trump administration laid out its vision for releasing Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac from more than a decade of federal control, issuing a long-awaited plan that marks the government’s boldest step yet toward shaking up housing finance and closing one of the final chapters of the 2008 financial crisis.
See also:
Trump administration seeks major mortgage finance overhaul Politico
Trump Administration Aims to Privatize Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Wall Street Journal
Trump administration releases plan to revamp housing market, end federal control of Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac The Washington Post
Housing Crisis Shifts Conversation On Where New Homes Belong
KPBS
State officials have determined San Diego County must plan for the construction of 171,685 new homes through the next decade. Deciding where all that new housing will go is the responsibility of the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG).
PUBLIC FINANCES
California pension mistakes would cost cities — not retirees — under proposed law
Sacramento Bee
Retired California public employees who have received extra retirement income by mistake could be protected from having their pensions reduced under a proposed state law.
Estimating the economic impact of a wealth tax
Brookings
Emmanuel Saez and Gabriel Zucman’s paper, “Progressive Wealth Taxation,” provides two important contributions to a policy question about which there continues to be disagreement. First, the paper adds to the body of research documenting the substantial increase in wealth inequality in the U.S. over the past 40 years. Second, the paper provides policymakers with detailed steps to successfully implement a progressive wealth tax.
TRANSPORTATION
You could get up to $9,500 to get your old car off the road
abc30
Do you have a vehicle that is a 1999 year model or older and failed emission testing? There's a Valley program that will pay you up to $9,500 to get it off the road. "Valley CAN" is a program offered by the San Joaquin Valley air pollution control district.
American Airlines mechanic accused of sabotaging flight over stalled labor talks
Los Angeles Times
According to an affidavit from a federal air marshal assigned to an FBI terrorism task force, Abdul-Majeed Marouf Ahmed Alani admitted during an interview Thursday that he tampered with a navigation system on the plane so that he could collect overtime work.
Governor Newsom Signs AB 1266
CalBike
Governor Gavin Newsom signed a bill today that will make it safer for bicycle riding in California at busy intersections. The bill requires Caltrans to develop a street marking or design that allows cyclists to go straight from a right or left turn lane and to safely cross outside of the high-traffic lanes.
Caltrans’ New Director: Toks Omishakin Has Credentials in Active Transportation
Streetblog Cal
Governor Gavin Newsom just announced the appointment of the new director of Caltrans. Adetokunbo Toks Omishakin comes from the Tennessee Department of Transportation, where he directs its Bureau of Environment and Planning. He has also served on the board of directors for American Walks, and as vice chair of the AASHTO Council on Active Transportation, where biking and walking advocates say he has provided thoughtful leadership.
Trump Administration Expedites Challenge to California on Auto-Emission Rules
WSJ
Move comes as White House seeks to ease requirements originally set under the Obama administration.
See also:
White House Prepares to Revoke California’s Right to Set Tougher Pollution Rules New York Times
WATER
Water Management in a Changing Climate
PPIc
The state’s water system is aging, and the various services it provides are sometimes in conflict. The system is also ill-prepared to handle climate change
“Xtra”
DNA findings suggest the Loch Ness monster might be a giant eel
Los Angeles Times
Neil Gemmell from the University of Otago in New Zealand says the project found a surprisingly high amount of eel DNA in the water. He cautioned that it’s not clear whether that indicates a gigantic eel or just a lot of little ones.
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