Local hospitals in three San Joaquin Valley communities are making big plans for the future, including an expansion, a reopening, and a bankruptcy filing. In Kern County, Adventist Health has announced plans to build a new hospital in Northwest Bakersfield. The facility will be built near the intersection of Coffee …
Read More »Valley Air District Seeks Public Comment On Plan To Improve Air Quality
A much-anticipated plan to reduce particulate matter in the San Joaquin Valley is now up for public comment. After years of revisions, the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District is seeking public comment on its latest plan to reduce PM2.5 , a harmful pollutant that causes respiratory problems and …
Read More »Valley Edition – September 4, 2018 – Author Miriam Pawel, Poet Brian Turner, ICE At Courthouses
This week on Valley Edition, we talk with biographer Miriam Pawel, author of the new book, “The Browns of California: The Family Dynasty that Transformed a State and Helped Shape a Nation.” We also talk with poet Brian Turner, about his new music project from his band, the Interplanetary Acoustic …
Read More »Trump Administration, California Headed For Showdown Over Valley Water
California is often at odds with the Trump administration, and the latest battleground could be in the issue of managing the state’s precious water supply. At the same time the state’s water board is considering major cuts to water sent to farms and cities, the Trump administration is taking its …
Read More »Governor Brown Signs Two Valley Fever Bills Into Law
Governor Brown has signed into law two bills related to the disease valley fever, both written by Kern County Assemblymember Rudy Salas. The laws both aim to streamline the disease’s reporting guidelines, which until now have been inconsistent over time and among health agencies throughout the state. One of the …
Read More »Youth Voter Turnout Is Low, But These Central Valley College Students Want That To Change
S ummers for college students usually mean part time jobs or summer school. But this year, one group of students have dedicated their time to civic engagement. While some of them are new voters themselves, they’re hoping to get other young adults to make voting a priority. This summer, 25 …
Read More »Valley Edition – August 14, 2018 – 1,2,3-TCP In Del Rey; Mental Health in Fresno County; Monsanto
This week on Valley Edition, we learn about how the rural Fresno County community of Del Rey is working to clean up its drinking water, which is now contaminated by an agricultural chemical. We also learn about the lawsuit over Monsanto’s popular herbicide Roundup, and about new efforts to expand …
Read More »For Valley Fever Survivors, A Growing Need: Wigs
In a small boutique in downtown Bakersfield, Brenda Blanton donned a styling gown and settled into a salon chair facing a mirror. Shop owner Kelly Giblin approached, not carrying scissors or a curling iron, but a small hairpiece resembling a dirty blonde bob with dark roots. “This is an amazing …
Read More »Valley Edition – July 31, 2018 – Fresno State at CERN, Seeking Asylum, Diana Marcum, Bay-Delta Plan
On this week’s Valley Edition, we learn how Fresno State students are leaving their mark at one of the top scientific institutions in Europe. We also continue our look at the issue of homelessness with a profile of a Fresno mom who was living on the streets, and is now …
Read More »Kevin McCarthy Targets Valley Fever With New Bill
A new bill in congress is aimed at preventing the fungal disease valley fever that’s endemic to Central and Southern California. The so-called FORWARD Act , introduced by Bakersfield Congressman and House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, would establish a national valley fever working group and would award grants to entities …
Read More »What Would Changes To The Endangered Species Act Mean For The Valley?
Last week the Trump Administration proposed a set of major changes to the Endangered Species Act. It’s a big issue here in California, where protected species in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta and in the Sierra have set off new efforts to protect critical habitat. Of course those measures have …
Read More »Smoke From Ferguson Fire To Close Yosemite Valley
Visitors are being ordered to evacuate some parts of Yosemite National Park by noon on Wednesday due to a nearby wildfire. The Ferguson Fire has consumed over 36,000 acres southwest of the park and is only 25 percent contained. Park officials have announced they’re evacuating Yosemite Valley as well as …
Read More »Valley Fever Research, Awareness Winners In New State Budget
Buried in California’s new $ 201 billion budget is important news for those with a disease that affects many here in Central California: $ 8 million in funding for valley fever research and awareness. For several years we’ve been reporting about this airborne fungal disease which is endemic to arid …
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