15Mar

March 15, 2017

Political Stories – Top stories Fuller steps down as state Senate Republican leader — State Republican legislators finally found someone to take Jean Fuller’s job. Following a two-month search for a state senator willing to lead the Republican caucus of a legislative body dominated by Democrats, Fuller’s colleagues elected Patricia “Pat” Bates of Laguna Niguel on Tuesday. Bakersfield […]

14Mar

March, 14 2017

Political Stories – Top stories 24 million would lose health coverage under GOP repeal bill in first decade, CBO says — An estimated 14 million people would lose health insurance in the first year of the Republican proposal to overturn Obamacare, according to a new estimate from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. The number would rise over […]

13Mar

March 13, 2017

Political Stories Top stories   Dan Walters: Jerry Brown wants to kill a test of coordinated services — The “Coordinated Care Initiative” is one of those uber-wonky, densely complex, acronym-laden pieces of governmental policy that may affect millions but only a handful of folks even profess to understand. And they may not have to even try to understand it, […]

12Mar

March 12, 2017

Political Stories – Top stories Dan Walters: Brown’s school finance overhaul could be a cruel joke on poor kids — What’s happened – or, more accurately, not happened – in Los Angeles Unified is a sharp warning that left to their own devices, and under terrific pressure from unions and other groups for pieces of the extra […]

10Mar

March 10, 2017

Political Stories – Top stories California insurance chief: 5 million in state could lose health coverage under ‘Trumpcare’ — California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones took a hard-line stance this week against the Obamacare repeal House Republicans are staking out, saying it could reverse advances California has made under the Affordable Care Act and strip 5 million Californians […]

09Mar

March 9, 2017

Political Stories – Top stories Jeff Jardine: ICE agents regular to Stanislaus County jail, but few undocumented criminals get deported — The Stanislaus County jail, though, has avoided the ACLU’s circumspection. Why? Because the department long ago established procedures and protocols for dealing with immigrants who come through the jail, and for working with the ICE agents […]

08Mar

March 8, 2017

Political Stories Top stories   Californians could begin voting at age 17 under a new proposal in the Legislature – California would become the first state in the nation to fully allow 17-year-olds to vote in elections under a proposal introduced on Tuesday in the Legislature.  LA Times article; San Jose Mercury News article   Nunes: Media take […]

07Mar

March 7, 2017

Political Stories – Top stories Valadao meets constituents one-on-one – home folks say they understand why — Several dozen constituents patiently waited their turn Monday to speak one-on-one with congressman David Valadao, R-Hanford, who eschewed a town hall meeting during a visit home from Capitol Hill in favor of what his office called a “Hometown Huddle.” Fresno Bee article; Visalia […]

05Mar

March 5, 2017

Political Stories – Top stories Rather than a town hall, Rep. David Valadao will hold one-on-one meetings Monday — Rep. David Valadao, R-Hanford, will hold a “Hometown Huddle” Monday where constituents can have face-to-face meetings with him at his office. The event will take place at 101 N. Irwin St., 110-B, starting at 3 p.m. The individual, […]

04Mar

March 4, 2017

Political Stories – Top stories Fresno sheriff’s ICE partnership may give a glimpse of Trump-era deportations – The Fresno County Sheriff’s Department has a special partnership with ICE. Immigration agents have unfettered access to the jail’s database. So the info that Magallanes collected at booking? They can see that — plus any details about charges or criminal […]