A bill designed to increase the number of doctors in underserved areas such as the Valley has a few more steps to go before reaching Gov. Gavin Newsom's desk to be signed into law. But funding for the California Medicine Scholars Program is already guaranteed. Assembly Bill 128, the budget...
Universal Basic Income for Farmworkers? Hurtado Pushes for It
A Fresno-area politician wants California to prioritize struggling San Joaquin Valley farmworkers in a proposed pilot program that would put cash in the hands of some the state’s impoverished residents. State Sen. Melissa Hurtado, a Democrat from Sanger, issued a letter to Gov. Gavin Newsom last week urging the state to prioritize...
Will Valley Dry up and Blow Away Before Newsom Acts on Drought?
A rare event took place in these highly partisan, divided political times on Friday morning at the Harlan Ranch Barn near Shepherd Avenue and Highway 168. A fast-growing bipartisan coalition of Valley elected leaders said that the potential economic damage from the California drought is so severe it demands an...
Hurtado’s Bill Knocks Down Barriers for Valley Medical Students
California's community colleges don't offer a pipeline facilitating a student's ability to attend medical school. But Senate Bill 40 by state Sen. Melissa Hurtado, D-Sanger, seeks to fix that, and it has unanimously passed the Senate Health Committee. "We're in a provider shortage in the Valley that's already bad," says Hurtado. "We...
CA Taxpayers Dollars Being Funneled To South America? Hurtado Critical of Tropical Forest Program
California's state auditor is about to explore how well the California Air Resources Control Board's is doing in its oversight of greenhouse gas reduction programs related to transportation. The auditor's office posted the scope of its upcoming audit on the department's website. It includes the following activities: Identify the number and type of...
Sen. Hurtado Urges Gov. Newsom to Change COVID-19 Strategy
State Sen. Melissa Hurtado, a Sanger Democrat, called on Gov. Gavin Newsom to change California’s COVID-19 strategy on Friday. Hurtado's push came after the state reported a one-day record of 764 COVID-19 deaths for Thursday. There have been 3.12 million positive cases and 35,701 coronavirus-related deaths in the state. Hurtado specifically wants...