April 1, 2020

01Apr

POLICY & POLITICS

 

North SJ Valley:

 

San Joaquin County cancels fair; Stanislaus, Merced fairs still on amid coronavirus

Modesto Bee

The San Joaquin County Fair has canceled its 2020 event because of the ongoing coronavirus crisis. The Stockton fair is the first in the Northern San Joaquin Valley to call off its annual expo, which was to be held June 18 to 21. In a post on its website and Facebook page Monday, fair officials said.

 

Stanislaus County education chief talks about how schools are contending with coronavirus

Modesto Bee

Even in normal times, schools have a priority higher than educating children, and that’s keeping them safe. During this COVID-19 pandemic, that priority is joined by a couple of others, Stanislaus County Superintendent of Schools Scott Kuykendall said Monday.

 

Can’t pay your Modesto utility bill on time? Here’s what you can do to avoid fees

Modesto Bee

Not paying a city of Modesto utility bill can still trigger late fees during the coronavirus pandemic. Modesto will charge delinquent customers at least $10 if they do not contact the city before the grace period ends.

As coronavirus cases rise, so does pressure on Merced County real estate market, agents

Merced Sun-Star

Merced County real estate agents have had to adapt with the coronavirus by ditching open houses and face-to-face meetings for virtual tours and other technology to work with clients.

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Coronavirus update: Latest cases; words from Modesto-area businesses

Modesto Bee

The words from business owners or employers who responded to our survey asking them to tell us about the impact from the coronavirus outbreak are tough.

 

Central SJ Valley:

 

Fresno’s doctor shortage just cost the county 100 coronavirus emergency hospital beds

Fresno Bee

Fresno will have to give away 100 emergency hospital beds intended to treat coronavirus patients because the Valley’s long-standing shortage of doctors means there aren’t enough medical professionals to monitor those beds.

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State rejects Fresno fairgrounds as site for coronavirus field hospital. County leader surprised

Fresno Bee

The state has all but rejected the Fresno fairgrounds as the site for 250 incoming government beds to treat coronavirus patients.

 

Clovis City Council closes its public meetings, launches prevention measures

Fresno Bee

The Clovis City Council chambers were closed to the public on Monday as the members conducted city business online in an attempt to slow the spread of coronavirus.

 

Assemblyman Bigelow: ‘Local Food Banks Need Your Help’

Sierra News

The California Association of Food Banks, which represents 41 food banks, has estimated that food banks across the state will need $116 million for additional emergency food to satisfy the growing need because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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‘People are dying.’ Charges possible in Kings County for ignoring shelter-in-place orders

Fresno Bee

Central San Joaquin Valley residents who ignore California’s shelter-in-place order may soon find themselves with misdemeanor charges. That enforcement option could be considered during a Kings County Board of Supervisors meeting next week, warned Kings County Supervisor Richard Valle in a stern video Tuesday.

 

South SJ Valley:

 

Local leaders reassure public 'they're ready' for COVID-19; public, businesses urged to do their part

Bakersfield Californian

The Kern County Fairgrounds will serve as an auxiliary medical site to handle a potential overflow of patients should local hospitals reach capacity due to a peak in COVID-19 cases in the coming weeks as many health experts predict, local officials said Monday. T

 

Bakersfield firm launches software for remotely monitoring COVID-19 cases

Bakersfield Californian

A Bakersfield-based medical software company has responded quickly to the coronavirus pandemic with its launch Tuesday of a cloud-based computer platform designed to help physicians remotely monitor COVID-19 patients.

 

As court cases pile up, officials seek measures to reduce person-to-person contact

Bakersfield Californian

Person-to-person contact in the crowded setting of Kern County Superior Court is a growing concern as cases of coronavirus continue to increase.

 

State:

 

‘We are bending the curve’: California’s sweeping stay-at-home orders bought time to prepare for virus peak

Stockton Record

California’s extraordinary efforts to keep people home have bought the time needed to prepare for an expected peak surge of coronavirus cases in coming weeks, Gov Gavin Newsom said Tuesday.

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Trump praises California for its coronavirus curve. Newsom holds his breath

Fresno Bee

The White House praised California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Tuesday for early efforts against the spread of the coronavirus, pointing to pandemic models that indicate the state has, for now, successfully stopped the number of cases from sharply increasing.

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Gov. Gavin Newsom launches campaign to combat social isolation, food insecurity among senior citizens

abc30

On Tuesday, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced a statewide initiative to increase connectivity to senior citizens, one of the most vulnerable populations during the COVID-19 outbreak.

 

Watchdog to review rules letting California politicians raise money for charity

CalMatters

California’s political watchdog agency is rethinking state rules allowing elected officials to solicit donations to nonprofits, following a Calmatters investigation into millions of dollars raised by state politicians for charities controlled by them, their relatives or their staff.

 

California cities want transparency rules waived in pandemic

Fresno Bee

Citing the unprecedented challenges created by the coronavirus pandemic, city officials across California are asking Gov. Gavin Newsom to suspend or delay numerous state laws, saying they can't comply with everything from environmental regulations to public records laws that give people a window into how the government is spending public money.

 

California created a massive medical reserve – with acute care beds, ventilators and N95 masks — then let it collapse

Reveal

They were ready to roll whenever disaster struck California: three 200-bed mobile hospitals that could be deployed to the scene of a crisis on flatbed trucks and provide advanced medical care to the injured and sick within 72 hours.

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Opinion:  Stay-at-home orders to fight coronavirus are protected by the U.S. Constitution

Sacramento Bee

The law is clear: the government has broad power in a public health emergency to take the steps needed to stop the spread of a communicable disease.

 

Commentary: If we can safely distance at the grocery store, surely we can do the same at parks

Cal Matters

Across California, local leaders are making decisions about how to manage the parks, beaches and trails that many of us flocked to at the beginning of the state’s sweeping stay-at-home order to contain the coronavirus.

 

Federal:

 

Trump extends coronavirus safety guidelines as advisers predict soaring US death toll

Fresno Bee

President Donald Trump extended federal coronavirus safety guidelines Tuesday as White House advisers and scientific models predict up to 240,000 people in the United States could die from the disease.

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Dr. Fauci dishes on Trump, calls for much longer travel restrictions

abcNews

During an hour-long discussion last week, Dr. Anthony Fauci – viewed as America’s most trusted public voice on the coronavirus crisis – offered a series of candid assessments that surprised even his own boss at the National Institutes of Health.

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The Debate Over the Defense Production Act

Wall Street Journal Podcasts

A Cold War-era law gives the president powers to mobilize private companies to help in emergencies. WSJ's Andrew Restuccia and Stephanie Armour explain why President Trump has been reluctant to put the law to use in the fight against the coronavirus.

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The missing six weeks: how Trump failed the biggest test of his life

The Guardian

When the definitive history of the coronavirus pandemic is written, the date 20 January 2020 is certain to feature prominently. It was on that day that a 35-year-old man in Washington state, recently returned from visiting family in Wuhan in China, became the first person in the US to be diagnosed with the virus.

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Four parts of the coronavirus stimulus act that have flown under the radar

San Francisco Chronicle

Here are four things you might not know about the federal coronavirus relief law enacted Friday. Details follow on four provisions affecting individuals that have flown a little under the radar.

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Trump rollback of mileage standards guts climate change push

Bakersfield Californian

The Trump administration's rollback of mileage standards Tuesday marks a win for Americans who like their SUVs and pickup trucks, but the government's own estimates show big costs, too — more Americans dying from air pollution, more climate-damaging tailpipe exhaust and more expense for drivers at the gas pumps.

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Census Day arrives with US almost paralyzed by coronavirus

Fresno Bee

Census Day — the date used to reference where a person lives for the once-a-decade count — arrived Wednesday with a nation almost paralyzed by the spread of the novel coronavirus. But census officials vowed the job would be completed by its year-end deadline.

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‘America’s governors’: Andrew Cuomo and Gavin Newsom take the lead on coronavirus

Los Angeles Times

The two men — well-known Democrats with presidential ambitions who could someday face each other as rivals — have been somewhat of a footnote in national politics since declining to seek the White House in 2020.

 

Cities, Legislatures Learn to Govern by Conference Call

Pew Research

Elected officials are figuring out Zoom just like the rest of us. Some of the most important legislation states and cities enact to fight the coronavirus pandemic will be passed on grainy video chats or glitchy conference calls, using processes that have never been tested.

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Coronavirus Trackers:

 

Coronavirus (COVID-19) in California

Covid19.ca.gov

COVID-19 is a new illness that can affect your lungs and airways. It's caused by a virus called coronavirus.

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Elections 2020:

 

Biden says Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is on his list for vice president

Fresno Bee

Democratic Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who has drawn attention for her scrapes with President Donald Trump over the federal government's coronavirus response, is on Joe Biden's list of potential vice presidential candidates, he said in an interview Tuesday.

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Bernie and Biden have been courting voters virtually, and it’s not going well

Washington Post

Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders are still campaigning for president — sporadically, virtually and badly. Oh yes. They have been impressively awful. But they must press on with their low-budget online backslapping and live-streamed speechifying if they want to connect with voters over the coming weeks and, perhaps, months.

 

Learn from Bern: Sanders showed keys to tapping Latino vote

San Francisco Chronicle

Latinos are young. Latinos are working class. Latinos vote. These are the three perspectives every candidate, regardless of political party, should keep in mind.

 

Virus brings congressional campaigns to a standstill

Turlock Journal

When incumbent Rep. Josh Harder and challenger Ted Howze emerged from California’s March 3 primary election victorious, neither could have imagined that just a few weeks later the nation would be in the middle of a global pandemic.

 

Commentary: California election 2020: Will women continue to gain ground?

Cal Matters

Since late 2017, women politicos in California have been on an impressive electoral winning streak, gaining a dozen seats in the Legislature and a bushel of victories in mayoral contests from San Francisco to Costa Mesa.

 

Other:

 

Detecting Malign or Subversive Information Efforts over Social Media

RAND

The United States has a capability gap in detecting malign or subversive information campaigns before these campaigns substantially influence the attitudes and behaviors of large audiences.

 

Commentary: COVID-19 proves we need to continue upgrading America’s broadband infrastructure

Brookings

As social distancing and telework rules tighten across the country, the COVID-19 pandemic is increasingly moving our daily life online. Everything from meetings at the office to happy hours with friends are all now occurring in digital space.

 

Tips From Someone With Nearly 50 Years Of Social Distancing Experience

VPR

We're all social distancing these days, and it's unclear when exactly that will end. But Billy Barr has been doing this for almost 50 years. He's the only full-time resident of Gothic, Colo. "I'm the mayor and chief of police," he said. "I hold elections every year, but I don't tell anybody when they are, so it works out really well."

 

MADDY INSTITUTE PUBLIC POLICY PROGRAMMING

 

Sunday, April 5, at 10 a.m. on ABC30 – Maddy Report: Does Granny (Flat) Have a Solution to the Housing Crisis? - Guests: Monica Davalos, Aureo Mesquita, and Adriana Ramos-Yamamoto from the California Budget and Policy Center. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.

 

Sunday, April 5, at 10 a.m. on Newstalk 580AM/105.9FM (KMJ) – Maddy Report - Valley Views Edition: California’s Housing Crisis: Are Granny Flats the Answer? - Guests: Monica Davalos, Aureo Mesquita, and Adriana Ramos-Yamamoto from the California Budget and Policy Center; Matt Levin and Dan Walters with CALmatters; Dan Dunmoyer with California Building Industry Association; and John Myers with LA Times. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.

 

Sunday, April 5, at 7:30 a.m. on UniMas 61 (KTTF) – El Informe Maddy: Supervisión estatal de compensación de trabajadores: ¿maltratados y magullados? - Guest: Margarita Fernandez, Jefe de Relaciones Publicas de la oficina de la Auditora Estatal. Host: Maddy Institute Program Coordinator, Maria Jeans.

 

AGRICULTURE/FOOD

 

Valley farmers offering roadside stands with fruits and vegetables

abc30

Many valley farmers have been selling their produce out of town at farmer's markets and have noticed not as many people have been out shopping. They hope more people will stop by, away from the crowded grocery stores, and pick up something straight out of the field.

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Assemblyman Bigelow: ‘Local Food Banks Need Your Help’

Sierra News

The California Association of Food Banks, which represents 41 food banks, has estimated that food banks across the state will need $116 million for additional emergency food to satisfy the growing need because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

See also:

 

Demand for food stamps surges in California as virus takes economic toll

Los Angeles Times

With many Californians losing income and jobs, the economic toll of the coronavirus pandemic has spurred a record surge in the number of applications for CalFresh, the state’s food stamp program, forcing operational changes to expedite help for those unable to put meals on the table.

 

Go grocery shopping every two weeks? You can — and without hoarding.

Washington Post

Among the essential activities allowed during mandatory stay-at-home orders caused by the coronavirus pandemic is grocery shopping, but most experts agree that residents should cut back on the number of trips they make to the store as part of their social-distancing strategy.

 

To keep employees working, Fresno restaurants start selling boxes of food, essentials

Fresno Bee

Care package. Community box. Pantry box. Whatever you call it, several restaurants are pivoting to it as a way to provide their customers with more than just takeout food.

 

California pot dispensaries are open during coronavirus crisis. Some want them closed

Los Angeles Times

In designating California’s marijuana industry as essential under the state’s COVID-19 stay-at-home order, the administration of Gov. Gavin Newsom has argued that the health benefits of keeping pot shops open outweigh the risks — even as opponents of the policy call it reckless.

 

CRIMINAL JUSTICE/FIRE/PUBLIC SAFETY

 

Crime:

 

Task force, administrative fines and other efforts aim to stop price gouging in Fresno area

Fresno Bee

Central San Joaquin Valley prosecutors say they continue to investigate reports of price gouging during the coronavirus pandemic. Warnings of the threat of the respiratory virus also known as COVID-19 led to reports of panic buying from people who flooded stores to hoard toilet paper, food and water.

 

‘People are dying.’ Charges possible in Kings County for ignoring shelter-in-place orders

Fresno Bee

Central San Joaquin Valley residents who ignore California’s shelter-in-place order may soon find themselves with misdemeanor charges.

 

Scams Abound In Covid-19 Crisis

Business Journal

Scammers are taking advantage of confusion and fear during the COVID-19 crisis, targeting vulnerable populations and others.

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Public Safety:

 

Fresno County jail releasing some inmates early, preparing for coronavirus outbreak

Fresno Bee

The Fresno County jail has been releasing low-level inmates in preparation for a potential outbreak of coronavirus. A judicial order gave the jail the authority to release inmates whose sentences were due to be complete within the next 30 days.

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As court cases pile up, officials seek measures to reduce person-to-person contact

Bakersfield Californian

Person-to-person contact in the crowded setting of Kern County Superior Court is a growing concern as cases of coronavirus continue to increase.

 

California's Coronavirus Cases Expected To Grow Due To Delay In Testing, Overcrowded Prison System

VPR
With more than 7,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases, California trails behind only New York and New Jersey with the most number of cases in the country.

 

Federal Prisons Heighten Restrictions to Stem Spread of Coronavirus

Wall Street Journal

The federal Bureau of Prisons said Tuesday that it would keep thousands of inmates at facilities nationwide locked in their cells with limited exceptions for the next 14 days as officials try to stem the spread of the coronavirus after one prisoner died and more prisoners and staff tested positive for the disease.

 

DA's office strongly criticizes governor's decision to commute murderer's sentence

Bakersfield Californian

The Kern County District Attorney’s Office on Tuesday strongly criticized Gov. Gavin Newsom’s decision to commute the sentence of Kern County murderer Steven Bradley, saying the governor "found time" to do so amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

Fire:

 

Regulators mull reversing $462M increase in PG&E fire fines

Bakersfield Californian

California power regulators are weighing a recommendation to back off plans to fine Pacific Gas and Electric an additional $462 million over a series of deadly Northern California​​ wildfires rather than risk that the harsher punishment might scuttle the utility's plan to get out of bankruptcy.

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EDITORIAL: California’s wildfires aren’t going to stay quarantined for coronavirus

Los Angeles Times

Remember wildfires? With the COVID-19 pandemic sucking up all the oxygen in the news cycle, it’s easy to forget that there are other threats to public safety out there.

 

ECONOMY/JOBS

 

Economy:

 

Forecast: Fresno County To See $2.2b GDP Hit In Virus-stricken Q2

Business Journal

Fresno County stands to see an economic loss of $2.2 billion in the virus-stricken second quarter of the year, equaling a 17.7% decline in GDP. On a more human level, that’s a loss of $6,700 in GDP for each Fresno County household.

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Free webinar will teach small businesses about federal, state loan programs

Bakersfield Californian

The Small Business Development Center at Cal State Bakersfield will host a free, one-hour webinar at noon Wednesday about government disaster-loan programs including funding options written into the new, $2 trillion federal stimulus bill.

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Need money during coronavirus pandemic? How to avoid loan sharks and debt traps

Fresno Bee

As millions of Americans lose jobs, shifts and other sources of income during the coronavirus health crisis, financial experts worry about loan sharks who stand to profit.

 

Salvation Army thrift stores closed amid coronavirus, but still accepting donations

Modesto Bee

Salvation Army thrift stores have suspended retail operations during the coronavirus national emergency, but stores in Rancho Cordova, Modesto, Lodi and Stockton are still accepting donated clothing and essential household items to continue its residential drug and alcohol rehabilitation programs.

 

Stocks fall, capping their worst quarter since 2008

Los Angeles Times

U.S. stocks fell Tuesday, closing out Wall Street’s worst quarter since the most harrowing days of the 2008 financial crisis.

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Jobs:

 

Essential Workers and COVID-19

PPIC
California is grappling with the dual threats of a public health crisis caused by the coronavirus and the additional economic fallout of necessary social distancing measures.  In the past week, we have seen unemployment claims skyrocket and policymakers forge supports for workers and businesses.

See also:

 

County posts job gains in February, prior to COVID-19 impact

Turlock Journal

Before the coronavirus pandemic sent unemployment levels skyrocketing around the country, Stanislaus County was continuing to report a lower level of unemployment.

 

Amid shades of Great Recession, day laborers struggle to find work during coronavirus

Los Angeles Times

Gabriel Reyes was $600 short of his $1,800 monthly rent and April was around the corner. The day laborer was so desperate for a job he created a cardboard sign that listed his welding skills and cellphone number.

 

Walmart To Start Checking Workers' Temperatures

VPR
Walmart plans to start checking workers' temperatures as they clock in and to offer them gloves and masks, the company said on Tuesday as it announced a series of new measures to safeguard against the coronavirus.

 

Macy’s, Kohl’s and Gap are furloughing most of their workers

Los Angeles Times

Macy’s Inc., Kohl’s Corp. and Gap Inc. all said Monday that they will stop paying hundreds of thousands of employees who were thrown out of work when the retail chains temporarily closed their stores and sales collapsed as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

 

Whole Foods workers planning strike on Tuesday

The Hill

Whole Foods workers are set to strike on Tuesday to protest what they say is a lack of employee protections amid the spread of the coronavirus.

The Instacart strike, explained

Vox

Some workers for Instacart, one of the most popular US grocery delivery apps, went on strike Monday, demanding better pay and health protections as they risk exposing themselves to the coronavirus to deliver essentials to people on lockdown.

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Will Imports and Robots Push Older Workers into Nontraditional Jobs?

Center for Retirement Research at Boston College

The brief’s key findings are: U.S. workers have been facing growing competition from trade and automation. Do these factors push more workers into “nontraditional” jobs, defined as those without health and retirement benefits?

pandemic.

 

OPINION: Jobs Aren’t Being Destroyed This Fast Elsewhere. Why Is That?

New York Times

The coronavirus pandemic is laying bare structural deficiencies in America’s social programs. The relief package passed by Congress last week provides emergency fixes for some of these issues, but it also leaves critical problems untouched. To avoid a Great Depression, Congress must quickly design a more forceful response to the crisis.

 

Department of Labor Issues Families First Coronavirus Response Act Poster and FAQ Regarding Posting Requirements

AALRR
The President signed the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA ) on March 18, 2020, which will take effect on April 1, 2020. The FFCRA created obligations for qualifying employers to provide temporary relief to eligible employees affected by the COVID-19

 

EDUCATION

 

K-12:

 

Coronavirus will keep California schools from reopening, state superintendent says

Fresno Bee

Schools in California will be unable to physically reopen this academic year due to concerns of the coronavirus, according to a letter from the State Superintendent of Public Instruction, who encouraged educators to pivot quickly to online as students are expected to shelter in place through May 1 and possibly beyond.

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Fresno Unified will keep school lunch program going over spring break next week

Fresno Bee

Fresno Unified reversed course Monday, saying the grab-and-go school lunch program will continue serving meals over the district’s spring break, which begins April 6. Superintendent Bob Nelson made the announcement via social media and a news release.

 

Fresno students graduating on time despite school closures

abc30

Amid school closures, DeWolf High School in Fresno is helping its students graduate on time. The alternative high school graduates students year-round. They say four students have already received diplomas since they closed their doors.

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Modesto’s Sylvan school district finds next superintendent in Grass Valley

Merced Sun-Star

A Merced native who for the past decade has been superintendent of the Grass Valley School District in Nevada County was tapped as the finalist to take the same job in Modesto’s Sylvan Union School District.

 

Stanislaus County education chief talks about how schools are contending with coronavirus

Modesto Bee

Even in normal times, schools have a priority higher than educating children, and that’s keeping them safe. During this COVID-19 pandemic, that priority is joined by a couple of others, Stanislaus County Superintendent of Schools Scott Kuykendall said Monday.

 

Connecting kids: Students without personal devices receive Chromebooks for online learning

Bakersfield Californian

Being away from school and navigating distance learning has been tough for many students, especially those who don't have internet connectivity or electronic devices at home.

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Standard School District confirms positive coronavirus test in 'school community'

Bakersfield Californian

Standard School District confirmed Monday someone in the "school community" has tested positive for the coronavirus. In a letter to families and staff members, Superintendent Paul Meyers wrote the district is "working in close collaboration with local public health agencies on this matter."

 

Coronavirus Stretches California’s Special Education System To The Brink

Capital Public Radio

Children, parents, and educators are struggling to adapt to a remote teaching necessity at odds with how special education is delivered.

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Commentary: A broad strategy for schools during the COVID-19 pandemic

Brookings

The social and economic effects of COVID-19 will be severe and touch every corner of the country. But there is much that can be done to soften the blow and put ourselves in a better situation for the long term. Schools have a particularly important role to play.

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Commentary: After coronavirus subsides, we must pay teachers more

Brookings

As Wall Street takes a pounding from the COVID-19 pandemic, the stock we place in teachers is on the rise. If you didn’t appreciate the expertise, labor, and dedication that teachers patiently pour into our children most days of the week, then you probably do now.

 

Higher Ed:

 

University of California suspends admission testing requirements because of coronavirus pandemic

Washington Post

The University of California will suspend its admission testing requirements and certain other academic rules for students seeking to enter as freshmen in fall 2021, a groundbreaking development in response to the coronavirus pandemic that has shuttered schools around the country and thrown the nation’s education systems into disarray.

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UC Merced shares safety measures after campus consultant contracts COVID-19

abc30

UC Merced is usually bustling with activity with more than 8800 students on campus, but now it's extremely quiet. The semester just resumed Monday following the spring break, and classes are all being taught through remote learning tools.

 

University of California retreats from tuition increase plan — at least for now

EdSource

Declaring that it would be unseemly to raise tuition during the current national health emergency, leaders of the ten-campus University of California system on Wednesday withdrew their proposal to increase costs for the next five incoming freshmen classes.

 

Eight California State University campuses extend freshman enrollment deadlines to June 1

EdSource

Students accepted at eight of the 23 campuses of the California State University system will have an extra month to send in enrollment deposits. The deadlines were extended from May​​ 1 to June 1 in response to students who need extra time to choose universities during the coronavirus pandemic and because the campuses wanted to preserve enrollments for the 2020-21 school year.

 

Commentary: California must seize the opportunity to become a pioneer in online higher education

CalMatters

As the coronavirus social isolation net tightens, college professors and students face an unprecedented challenge. How do they continue teaching and learning when school buildings have closed?

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BC to hold Virtual Career Expo on Wednesday

Bakersfield Californian

Bakersfield College Career Education will hold the Industrial Technology and Transportation Virtual Career Expo from 10 a.m. to noon Wednesday via ConferZoom.

 

ENVIRONMENT/ENERGY

 

Environment:

 

It's too early to know, but indications are that the Valley's air is improving with virus shutdown

Bakersfield Californian

Valley air quality experts say it's too soon to know for sure, but there are indications that the valley's air is cleaner and healthier as many residents stay off the roads, opting for TV rather than catching a movie, eating in vs. eating out, and playing board games at home instead of attending basketball games elsewhere.

 

Trump rollback of mileage standards guts climate change push

Bakersfield Californian

The Trump administration's rollback of mileage standards Tuesday marks a win for Americans who like their SUVs and pickup trucks, but the government's own estimates show big costs, too — more Americans dying from air pollution, more climate-damaging tailpipe exhaust and more expense for drivers at the gas pumps.

See also:

 

Not even fishing immune from effects of coronavirus pandemic

Fresno Bee

Everyone is wanting to get out and have a good time, but it has worked against us as anglers. For most, fishing is the release valve to manage stress

 

Energy:

 

Can’t pay your Modesto utility bill on time? Here’s what you can do to avoid fees

Modesto Bee

Not paying a city of Modesto utility bill can still trigger late fees during the coronavirus pandemic. Modesto will charge delinquent customers at least $10 if they do not contact the city before the grace period ends.

Commentary: Oil’s Apocalyptic April Could Reverberate for Years to Come

Bloomberg

Oil is entering a period of unparalleled demand destruction this month that promises to transform the industry for years to come. Daily consumption will plummet by 15 million to 22 million barrels in April from a year earlier, according to estimates from some of the world’s most influential energy analysts. The crash has already led to refiners slashing processing, drillers halting output and storage tanks swelling across the world.

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HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES

 

Health:

 

Coronavirus cases mount, more than 130 total infections in Fresno and nearby counties

Fresno Bee

Coronavirus cases in the central San Joaquin Valley, Fresno County and surrounding Valley counties continued to climb Monday and Tuesday as health officials in Fresno, Tulare, Merced and Madera counties collectively reported 26 new patients with confirmed positive tests for the contagion.

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Coronavirus sparks run on thermometers in Fresno area. Health officials have advice

Fresno Bee

Hand cleaner, toilet paper and basic household supplies are not the only items in short supply in the central San Joaquin Valley due to concerns about the coronavirus pandemic. It’s also hard to get hold of a thermometer.

 

CDC Director on Models For The Months To Come: 'This Virus Is Going To Be With Us'

VPR

The nation's public health agency, with its distinguished history of successfully fighting scourges such as polio and smallpox, has been conspicuously absent in recent weeks as infections and deaths from the new coronavirus soared in the U.S.

 

Who's Sickest From COVID-19? These Conditions Tied To Increased Risk

Capital Public Radio

A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report finds 78% of COVID-19 patients in the U.S. requiring admission to the intensive care unit had at least one underlying condition.

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Will the coronavirus wilt in summer heat? Maybe, but don’t count on it

PolitiFact

As the COVID-19 pandemic rages on around the world, people are grasping for any sign that an end is in sight. One popular ray of hope: warm weather. After all, the seasonal flu and milder strains in the coronavirus family tend to spike in winter and dwindle in spring.

 

COVID-19 pandemic poses problems for addiction recovery, local professionals say

Bakersfield Californian

Asked how the COVID-19 pandemic would affect those in the process of substance abuse recovery, two words came to the mind of Marc Smith, director of The Third Tradition Sober Living in Bakersfield: I’m afraid.

 

Opinion: The Road Back to Normal: More, Better Testing

Wall Street Journal

Americans are afraid of the health risks from Covid-19. But many also rightfully worry about when the intense restrictions on movement and activity will end. Addressing both concerns will require setting up a robust testing system that can catch outbreaks before they become difficult to manage.

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FDA requests all Zantac in all forms get taken off the market for carcinogen problem

Miami Herald

The FDA asked all companies that make heartburn, reflux and ulcer drug ranitidine — sold under the brand name Zantac — to pull all forms from the market. That includes prescription-strength ranitidine; over-the-counter ranitidine, often sold under store brand names; and over-the-counter name brand Zantac.

 

Human Services:

 

State rejects Fresno fairgrounds as site for coronavirus field hospital. County leader surprised

Fresno Bee

The state has all but rejected the Fresno fairgrounds as the site for 250 incoming government beds to treat coronavirus patients.

 

Fresno’s doctor shortage just cost the county 100 coronavirus emergency hospital beds

Fresno Bee

Fresno will have to give away 100 emergency hospital beds intended to treat coronavirus patients because the Valley’s long-standing shortage of doctors means there aren’t enough medical professionals to monitor those beds.

See also:

 

Opinion: As California seeks ventilators, coronavirus reveals hazards of Jerry Brown’s austerity Sacramento Bee

While costs will vary, recent news reports suggest that getting tested and treated for coronavirus can be as high as $35,000 for uninsured patients, painting a devastating picture for those U.S. residents without health coverage​​ ⁠–​​ nearly a tenth of the U.S. population.

See also:

 

Community Medical Foundation seeking mask donations to fight COVID-19

abc30

The Community Medical Foundation is calling for an outpouring of support when it comes to donations of masks.

 

Are Hospitals Seeing A Surge Of Coronavirus Patients? Some Officials Aren't Saying

Capital Public Radio

With a lack of tests, epidemiologists say the next best way to monitor the pandemic is by tracking hospitalizations. But hotspots like California and Washington are releasing little information.

See also:

 

California launches Health Corps, loosens rules for medical professionals amid coronavirus

Los Angeles Times

Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an urgent call for healthcare workers to join the state in caring for an expected surge of COVID-19 patients while announcing an executive order to expand the services medical professionals can perform in their jobs.

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Virus Disrupts Pregnancy Plans, Raises Anxiety And Questions

Business Journal

Some pregnant women fear giving birth with no loved ones by their side. Others worry about getting sick with COVID-19 and not being able to hold their newborns. The coronavirus pandemic has injected anxiety and uncertainty to an already stressful time and while science about risks is mostly reassuring, doctors want clearer answers too.

 

Should We All Be Wearing Masks In Public? Health Experts Revisit The Question

VPR

A few months ago, it may have seemed silly to wear a face mask during a trip to the grocery store. And in fact, the mainline public health message in the U.S. from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has been that most people don't need to wear masks.

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Stanislaus County in talks with four hotels to isolate coronavirus patients

Modesto Bee

By mid-next week, the Stanislaus County Office of Emergency Services expects to have agreements with several hotels/motels to both isolate those who have tested positive for COVID-19 and separate the at-risk population that is still healthy.

 

COVID-19 crisis could bring ‘surge’ of patients

Visalia Times Delta

"The state is looking at multiple sites across the state, including the Porterville Developmental Center"

 

New program to help with costs of medications

Turlock Journal

EMC Health Foundation and United Samaritans Foundation have launched Prescription Plus, a program dedicated to helping the working famedicationmilies pay for needed prescription .

 

IMMIGRATION

 

New rulings amid coronavirus could force Trump to release migrant children and parents

Los Angeles Times

A federal judge in Los Angeles has given the Trump administration until April 6 to deliver an account of why it can’t quickly release many of the roughly 7,000 immigrant children at risk of contracting the coronavirus in shelters and detention facilities across the U.S., and unite them with waiting sponsors.

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Some Tax-Paying Immigrants Won’t Get Coronavirus Stimulus Payments

Wall Street Journal

Many Americans can expect some financial help from the federal government as part of the economic relief package President Trump signed into law Friday in response to the coronavirus pandemic. It is a little more complicated for one group of taxpayers: immigrants. Here is a brief explanation of who is and isn’t eligible for different forms of assistance.

 

Commentary: Don’t forget to thank immigrants, too

Brookings

As the global struggle against COVID-19 continues, the world as a whole continues to express gratitude to health workers and first responders for their tireless work. And that is the right thing to do.

 

LAND USE/HOUSING

 

Land Use:

 

Sequoia workers evicted from national park by concessionaire amid coronavirus pandemic

Fresno Bee

Employees in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks learned Thursday that they have to be out of park housing by the end of the month as coronavirus continues to spread.

 

Fresno Playground Equipment Next Announced Closure

Business Journal

The City of Fresno announced that all playground equipment at city parks would close in response to the coronavirus outbreak. In accordance with recommendations from the National Parks and Recreation Association, city workers will post signage designating areas off-limits because of the inability to sanitize them, according to a press release.

 

Some California State Parks seeing more visitors during stay at home order

abc30

Millerton Lake remains open, but people can only access the water by foot or bike. Despite the Governor's stay at home order, park officials say they've seen more visitors than normal.

 

COVID-19, park closure hits Three Rivers hard

abc30

People from around the world stop and stay in the Tulare County town as they visit Sequoia National Park. But last week, the park closed until further notice because of the coronavirus pandemic. So people are canceling their plans, and that's taking a toll on local businesses.

 

Hoping to escape coronavirus, city dwellers are fleeing to California’s deserts and mountains

Los Angeles Times

As the coronavirus pandemic tightens its grip on California’s largest cities, some residents are fleeing urban sprawl and seeking shelter in isolated communities in the Mojave Desert or rugged Sierra Nevada. Their hope, they say, is to avoid possible public unrest and limit their exposure to the virus.

 

Housing:

 

Rent For Fresno Residents Could Be Deferred, But Tenants Have To Prove Financial Hardship First

VPR

For most people, rent is due the first of the month. The city of Fresno passed an ordinance that allows renters to cite the COVID-19 pandemic as a reason for not paying rent this month, but the burden of proof is on the tenant.

See also:

 

Stanislaus County to impose moratorium on evictions during coronavirus outbreak

Modesto Bee

Stanislaus County leaders on Tuesday approved a temporary moratorium on residential and commercial evictions because of the coronavirus pandemic.

 

As coronavirus cases rise, so does pressure on Merced County real estate market, agents

Merced Sun-Star

Merced County real estate agents have had to adapt with the coronavirus by ditching open houses and face-to-face meetings for virtual tours and other technology to work with clients.

See also:

 

Podcast: Coronavirus and the housing crisis

CalMatters

As the novel coronavirus pandemic forces millions of Californians to adjust to a new reality, the state’s “housing crisis” already means something different than it did just two weeks ago. On this episode of “Gimme Shelter: The California Housing Crisis,” CalMatters’ Matt Levin and the Los Angeles Times’ Liam Dillon discuss how the state’s housing woes are complicating California’s response to the virus from homelessness to evictions.

 

PUBLIC FINANCES

 

COVID-19 and California’s Evolving Fiscal Outlook

Legislative Analyst’s Office

Emergence of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is a public health emergency. Earlier this week the Legislature provided the administration additional resources and authority to ensure the state can effectively respond. Similarly, there is a marshaling of resources occurring at the federal level that should offer support to the economy and the state’s fiscal situation.

See also:

 

Pelosi suggests lifting deduction cap on state and local taxes

San Francisco Chronicle

The next legislation to respond to the coronavirus pandemic could include a restoration of the full state and local tax deduction that many Californians lost two years ago, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says.

 

Who are the Californians left out of the federal relief efforts and need support now from state policymakers?

Medium

As widely reported, California is expected to receive billions from the three federal aid packages approved by Congress last week in response to the COVID-19 economic and health crisis. The California Budget & Policy Center will issue a breakdown on what these packages mean for Californians and the outstanding questions to be addressed between federal and state policies.

 

Coronavirus could overwhelm legal help for America’s poor

Roll Call

Attorneys at the Southeast Louisiana Legal Services Corp. helped the state’s poorest residents in the aftermath of two major hurricanes, the Gulf oil spill and the Great Recession — but the COVID-19 outbreak threatens to strain work there and at similar agencies across the country like never before.

 

Opinion: Trump seems to think money is free right now. It isn’t

Los Angeles Times

President Trump proclaimed himself the “king of debt” during the 2016 campaign, and he does have a long history of borrowing huge amounts that he often repays. So it was curious to see a tweet from him on Tuesday that grossly misstated the cost of federal borrowing.

 

Commentary: How federal agencies are stepping up to help low-income families

AEI

Congress has received a lot of attention in their efforts to craft an economic relief package responding to the coronavirus pandemic — and rightly so. But state and federal agencies have also been doing critical work behind the scenes to support low-income families in this crisis.

 

Commentary: When public sector unions are unaccountable to the public

AEI

A few weeks ago Netflix released a five-part true-crime series called “The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez.” If every crisis is an opportunity, then maybe this crisis will allow the public some opportunity to watch this shocking program and get a better understanding of what ails our child-welfare system.

 

TRANSPORTATION

 

Valley residents traveling farther than most Californians

abc30

California initiated a "stay at home" order on March 19, but the state carved out a lot of essential work as exceptions, and we wanted to see how well people are following the order.

 

Trump rollback of mileage standards guts climate change push

Bakersfield Californian

The Trump administration's rollback of mileage standards Tuesday marks a win for Americans who like their SUVs and pickup trucks, but the government's own estimates show​​ big costs, too — more Americans dying from air pollution, more climate-damaging tailpipe exhaust and more expense for drivers at the gas pumps.

See also:

 

U.S. gas prices fall to lowest average in 4 years -- $1.98

UPI
For the first time in more than four years, the average cost of gasoline in the United States is below $2 per gallon. According to AAA Wednesday, the average price for regular gasoline nationwide is just above $1.98. It's the first dip below $2 since 2016. A year ago, the average price was $2.69.

 

WATER

 

Fresno's residential three-day watering schedule begins Wednesday

abc30

The City of Fresno is shifting from a one-day watering schedule to a three-day schedule for residents on Wednesday, April 1.

 

California rules anger water agencies, environmental groups

Bakersfield Californian

California regulators on Tuesday set new rules about how much water can be taken from the state's largest rivers, angering water agencies for restricting how much they can take and environmental groups for not making those limits low enough to protect endangered species.

See also:

 

After a dry winter, the outlook calls for a wet start to April in all of California

Los Angeles Times

An extended forecast for California shows an above-normal probability of precipitation during the week of April 6-10, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Climate Prediction Center.

 

“Xtra”

 

How Can We Make Farm Work Healthier? (Streaming Online)

Zócalo Public Square

On Tuesday, April 14th, organic farmer and artist Nikiko Masumoto, Huron Mayor Rey León, health researcher Chia Thao, and Tania Pacheco-Werner, co-assistant director of the Central Valley Health Policy Institute, visit Zócalo to consider how to make farm work healthier.

 

Business is down, but donations, surprise free lunches are up at this Fresno restaurant

Fresno Bee

Take 3, the burger restaurant on Fulton Street in downtown Fresno, only has about three or four paying customers coming in a day. But it’s doing big business in a different way.

 

Library has options for those looking for resources, entertainment

Turlock Journal

The Stanislaus County Library branches may be closed to the public, put the system still has options for people looking to stave off any possible boredom during the stay at home order.

 

‘We’re at our best under fire.’ Despite coronavirus shutdowns, arts still alive in Merced

Merced Sun-Star

Despite hubs like the Multicultural Arts Center (MAC) and Playhouse Merced closing their doors to the public, however, social limitations have not ceased the artistic expression of Mercedians. In fact, many are continuing their craft by using different avenues to reach the masses.

 

Parks and Rec Easter activities get a social distancing makeover

Hanford Sentinel

After the recent announcement that this year’s Easter Eggstravaganza would be canceled, Parks and Rec officials have come up with a way for the community to celebrate together — without being too close together.

 

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The Kenneth L. Maddy Institute at California State University, Fresno was established to honor the legacy of one of California’s most principled and effective legislative leaders of the last half of the 20th Century by engaging, preparing and inspiring a new generation of governmental leaders for the 21st Century. Its mission is to inspire citizen participation, elevate government performance, provide non-partisan analysis and assist in providing solutions for public policy issues important to the region, state and nation.

                                                      

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