Tag "Central Valley"
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Two new headaches for California high-speed rail project
The California High-Speed Rail Authority – the agency in charge of building the state’s bullet train system – has already faced a tough year, with Gov. Gavin Newsom signaling in February that he’s not confident the full system can ever
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Census question could increase swing seats in House, Legislature
The recent U.S. Supreme Court hearing where the justices’ conservative majority appeared prepared to accept the Trump administration’s decision to add a question about citizenship to the 2020 census form has triggered sharp criticism from California Democrats. If the question leads to
Read MoreCentral Valley roiled by Newsom’s bullet-train plans, but some hopeful
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s announcement in his State of the State speech in February that he didn’t believe California had the resources to complete its $77 billion statewide bullet-train project produced a backlash that Newsom didn’t seem to expect. Within hours
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Water bond facing unexpectedly strong opposition
At a time when many Democrats and Republicans alike believe often-drought-stricken California needs more water storage projects and infrastructure, an $8.9 billion bond measure that earlier this year seemed to be a sure thing now faces a somewhat less certain
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Interior secretary sets Sept. 1 deadline for new Central Valley water policies
The long-expected showdown between the Trump administration and the state of California over water, farmers and the Central Valley appears to be imminent. On. Aug. 17, Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke issued a memorandum declaring his staff had 15 days to
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Brown’s ‘WaterFix’ has new momentum – but daunting obstacles remain
Just six weeks ago, Gov. Jerry Brown’s hopes for a huge, difficult legacy project to solidify California’s statewide water distribution system – one funded by water districts, not directly by taxpayers – appeared in bad shape. Years of lobbying for what the
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Court OKs constitutional challenge to new state law affecting farm industry
SACRAMENTO – A federal appeals court last week has taken the highly unusual step of finding a U.S. constitutional cause of action in a challenge to a California state law – the latest wrinkle in a long-running and bitter dispute
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CalWatchdog Morning Read – August 30
Farm worker OT bill awaits verdict from Gov. Brown Court ruling paves way for pension overhaul Mandatory minimums for certain sex crimes Liberal groups fight over legislative response to secret recordings High-speed rail under fire in Congress MADD v. DMV
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El Nino provides little relief outside of Northern California
Once-high hopes that a winter 2015-16 El Nino would lift California out of its 5-year-old drought have given way to a complex picture. Heavy winter snow and rains in the northern Sierras and the Sacramento Valley are providing widespread relief in
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High costs plague embattled high-speed rail
Despite a major shift in its construction strategy, newly anticipated budget overruns hit California’s beleaguered high-speed rail project, as citizens and lawmakers mounted fresh challenges to the scheme. “California High-Speed Rail Authority employees are warning of possible cost overruns on the
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