August 28, 2020

28Aug

POLICY & POLITICS

North SJ Valley:

Foster Farms processing plant in Calif ordered to shut down over COVID-19 outbreak

Fresno Bee

The Merced County Health Department ordered the Foster Farms Livingston Facility to shut down over the largest and most severe COVID-19 outbreak in Merced County, according to a statement released on Thursday by the health department. The shutdown order came Wednesday.

See Also:

●     Foster Farms plant in Merced County shut down amid uncontrolled COVID-19 outbreak, 8 deaths abc7

●     After 8 workers die of COVID-19, officials want Merced County Foster Farms plant closed LA Times

Modesto restaurants continue to serve people inside. Here’s what the city plans to do

Modesto Bee

Modesto expected Wednesday to start issuing daily fines against the two Velvet Grill & Creamery restaurants for continuing to serve customers indoors in violation of the state public health order to help stop the spread of the new coronavirus.

Modesto mayoral candidate, who is subject of city investigation, ends campaign

Modesto Bee

One of Modesto’s mayoral candidates in the Nov. 3 election has dropped out of the race.

Bert Lippert, who also is the city’s building safety program coordinator, said Wednesday he was no longer a candidate because he is the subject of a city investigation.

UC Merced named one of top colleges based on value in the country by Money

Merced Sun-Star

UC Merced was ranked No. 76 in Money magazine’s latest “Best Colleges” list. The list included over 700 universities that qualified for the evaluation. It’s UC Merced’s first appearance on the annual list, which is compiled by Money based off of value.

Central SJ Valley:

Coronavirus updates: Death toll hits 700 for the region; More kids are becoming infected

Fresno Bee

Nearly 20 more deaths were attributed to the coronavrius across the central San Joaquin Valley on Wednesday and Thursday, bringing the region’s total number of coronavirus-related deaths to 707 since the pandemic began.

See Also:

●     Fresno County coronavirus cases push past 24,000 infections, region numbers increase Fresno Bee

●     Coronavirus update: Stanislaus County has highest single-day positivity rate Modesto Bee

Why a Massive COVID-19 Outbreak at Fresno County Jail Flew Under the Radar

KQED

More than 1,100 people at the Fresno County Jail have tested positive for COVID-19 since the pandemic began. The running tally of infections at the county-run complex actually surpasses those at all but two state prisons in Calif.

Fresno leader blasts area school for ‘selfish’ rally with no masks despite coronavirus

Fresno Bee

Fresno City Council President Miguel Arias blasted Immanuel Schools’ leaders and parents who took part in a Fresno rally this week while not maintaining safety guidelines related to the coronavirus.

Fresno Co Point-In-Time Count Finds 50% More People Homeless In 2020

VPR

Fresno County officials announced the results from January’s homeless point-in-time count Wednesday, including a significant rise in unhoused individuals. This year’s annual point-in-time count found 3,251 people experiencing homelessness throughout Fresno County. That’s about a 50 percent increase from 2019, when the number of people counted was 2,131. However, more people than usual were counted in shelters.

See Also:

●     Fresno-Madera Continuum of Care releases 2020 Point-in-Time homeless count for the region Hanford Sentinel

Fact Check: Democrat TJ Cox calls GOP’s David Valadao a Trump ‘yes man’.  Is he?

Fresno Bee

Rep. TJ Cox released two advertisements in the last week, both portraying him as the candidate who cares about immigrants and making health care more affordable, while portraying his opponent as President Donald Trump’s “yes man.”

Wake Up Clovis Series Talk COVID-19

Clovis RoundUp

The Clovis Chamber of Commerce held another edition of their virtual series Wake Up Clovis on Wednesday, Aug. 26, at 9 a.m. with special guest Environmental Health Specialist for the County of Fresno, Thomas Fuller.

South SJ Valley:

White House COVID-19 task force Dr. Brix says Kern Co. coronavirus numbers still too high

BakersfieldNow

Doctor Deborah Birx of the White House Coronavirus Task Force said during an interview Thursday that Kern County’s COVID-19 numbers are still too high to be removed from the state’s watchlist.

See also:

●     COVID-19 update: Active cases continue to decline Porterville Recorder

●     Kern County public health reports 5 new COVID-19 deaths, 242 additional cases Bakersfield Califn

●     Major concerns for Kern and Central Valley counties as coronavirus transmission remains high KGET

Gov expected to announce new coronavirus metrics, potentially allowing business in Kern to reopen

Bakersfield Califn

State officials are on the verge of changing the metrics by which the coronavirus is monitored in counties throughout Calif, the Kern County Public Health Services Department announced during a Thursday news conference.

Library and streets top priority for city

Porterville Recorder

At a special meeting of the Porterville City Council on Tuesday night, the Council reviewed priority city projects for the 2020-2021 fiscal year (FY). After being presented with a list of last year’s priorities, the Council narrowed down projects for city staff to focus on for the next FY. Among the top priorities identified by the Council were the library and street improvements.

McCarthy addresses COVID-19 and Black Lives Matter in live Q&A

Bakersfield Califn

Though worried the lingering effects of COVID-19 on businesses and the U.S. educational system, Rep. Kevin McCarthy projected optimism that the country would be “over the top of” the pandemic by the time Congress convenes in January.

State:

Calif Republicans banned from Capitol after COVID-19 test; can vote from home

Fresno Bee

Republican Calif state senators were banned from the Capitol on Thursday after one of their colleagues tested positive for coronavirus this week and potentially exposed others at caucus meetings in the final leg of 2020 legislative session.

See Also:

●     Calif Senate Republicans under COVID-19 quarantine, not allowed in state Capitol LA Times

●     Republican senators banned from Capitol CalMatters

Dangers of third coronavirus surge in Calif focus on young people, essential workers

LA Times

Even as Calif finally begins to see declines in both COVID-19 deaths and hospitalizations, health officials and experts are preparing for a potential third surge of coronavirus cases fueled by two groups that already have been hit hard: low-wage essential workers and young people.

With improving virus data, Calif looks to reopen again

SFGate

Calif is poised to take another halting step toward normalcy with Gov. Gavin Newsom expected to announce plans for reopening businesses that were shuttered in July amid soaring coronavirus cases and hospitalizations.

Why Calif spends billions but can’t control its wildfires. ‘No simple or cheap solution’

Fresno Bee

Gavin Newsom had been governor for just one day when he appeared at a Cal Fire station in the Sierra foothills and outlined his plan for protecting Calif from major wildfires. More advanced helicopters. Better alert systems. Additional firefighters. Infrared cameras for early detection.

●     EDITORIAL: This Republican scoffed at COVID-19. His positive test closed Calif’s Senate Sac Bee

What caused Calif’s rolling blackouts? Regulators look for answers

SF Chronicle

Calif regulators plan to publish an analysis in the coming weeks about how Calif arrived at its worst power supply shortage in 19 years during the recent heat wave.

See also:

·       Solar and storage should be state’s clean energy focus CalMatters

Skelton: Newsom proves he’s no deer in headlights while managing several crises ‘of biblical proportions’

LA Times

Gov. Gavin Newsom has been keeping barely one step ahead of being trampled by rampaging disasters. He has survived on energy and agility — and hasn’t frozen like the proverbial deer in headlights. Last fall, I wrote it was unlikely that any previous Calif governor had faced such a simultaneous cannonade of calamities. At the time, there were devastating wildfires and power blackouts in Southern and Northern Calif.

Jerry Brown takes stock of the pandemic and the president

LA Times

At first, Jerry Brown seemed to reject the question based on its premise. He has a penchant, as journalists know, for dismissing a question for no other reason than a misplaced word.

Lawmakers running out of time

CalMatters

The clock is ticking for lawmakers to chart a recovery path for the world’s fifth-largest economy, keep millions of Califns from being evicted and respond to fires of historic proportions.

Police unions ask Legislature to hold special session for reforms

LA Times

With protesters back in the street this week after the police shooting of a Black man in Wisconsin, unions representing LA and SF officers Thursday asked Gov. Gavin Newsom to call a special session of the Legislature on policing before passing reforms.

See also:

·       EDITORIAL: Police reforms face defeat as Calif Democrats block George Floyd-inspired bills Sac Bee

‘Race does matter’: Why Latino advocates are pushing for affirmative action in Calif

Fresno Bee

For the first time, Latinos represent the largest ethnic group among freshmen admitted to the University of Calif system this year. The milestone comes 25 years after Calif passed Proposition 209, which among other provisions banned consideration of race or ethnicity in public education.

2021 Redistricting: New Rules for Calif Local Governments

2021 Redistricting Conference

This event offers a full day of presentations and panel discussions by Calif experts. This conference will be held virtually on September 17, 2020 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. MCLE credit is pending.

Commentary: Mayors’ reasons for supporting Prop. 15 don’t hold up

CalMatters

Fifteen Calif mayors, including mayors of some of Calif’s biggest cities, signed a letter to Gov. Gavin Newsom urging him to endorse Proposition 15, the commercial property tax increase on the November ballot. However, the main reasons the mayors used to support their position don’t stand up to a real-world examination of the facts.

Calif adopts major pollution cuts for diesel trucks and ships

LA Times

Calif air quality officials have adopted their biggest pollution-cutting regulations in more than a decade, targeting diesel trucks and cargo ships that spew much of the state’s health-damaging pollution.

See Also:

●     Shape up or ship out: Calif requires ships, trucks to eliminate thousands of tons of pollution CalMatters

●     Calif adopts major pollution cuts for diesel trucks and ships yahoo!news

Federal:

CDC’s Changed Testing Guidelines Could Lead To Less Testing, Experts Fear

VPR

The Trump administration has stirred confusion and concern by rewriting its guidelines for coronavirus testing. Public health experts fear the revised guidelines will lead to less testing – something the president has repeatedly asked for — but the administration denies that.

See also:

·       American Medical Association criticizes new Trump testing guidance The Hill

·       U.S. Announces Deal With Abbott Laboratories for 150 Million Rapid Covid-19 Tests WSJ

·       FDA’s Hahn Apologizes For Overselling Plasma’s Benefits As A COVID-19 Treatment NPR

‘Game Changer’ In Calif Coronavirus Testing To Double Capacity & Speed Up Results

Capital Public Radio

Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Wednesday that the state will soon more than double its coronavirus testing capacity, a move that at least one legislator described as a “game changer” in the state’s pandemic response.

See Also:

●     Calif unveils coronavirus testing plan that could speed school, business reopening SF Chronicle

CSUB Professor Jeanine Kraybill: Did Trump violate the Hatch Act by using the White House for the convention?

Kern Radio

Dr. Kraybill returns to the show to break down the Democratic and Republican conventions and the possible violation of the Hatch Act.

Commentary: How is the U.S. Postal Service governed and funded?

Brookings

Postal Service (USPS) is big. It employs over 600,000; only two private employers (Amazon and Walmart) employ more people. It serves 160 million homes, businesses, and other delivery points.

See also:

·       How to fix the US Postal Service Roll Call

A new lawsuit against Trump’s Section 230 executive order argues it chills speech about voting

protocol

A coalition of voting rights and watchdog groups is suing the Trump administration over its recent executive order, which aims to curb liability protections for tech platforms under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. They argue that the order was retaliatory, seeking to limit voters’ right to receive information about the election.

Recent Decision to Compress Census Timeframes Poses Additional Risks to an Accurate Count

GAO

The COVID-19 pandemic forced the Census Bureau to delay its 2020 operations. But in August, the Bureau announced it will deliver apportionment data by December as required. The Bureau faces compressed timeframes, untested procedures, and public safety challenges to do so.

Pelosi says Dems will release Trump’s tax returns if they win White House

Politico

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Thursday that if Democrats take the White House in November, they will unilaterally release President Donald Trump’s long-hidden tax returns.

U.S. political divide becomes increasingly violent, rattling activists and police

Wash Post

In a spate of exchanges that have spanned from Kalamazoo, Mich., and Bloomington, Ind., to Chicago and Portland, Ore., people on both sides of the United States’ political and cultural divide have been filmed exchanging punches, beating one another with sticks and flagpoles, or standing face-to-face with weapons, often with police appearing to be little more than observers.

Coronavirus Trackers:

Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Calif

Covid19.ca.gov

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

See also:

●     Calif Department of Public Health

●     Coronavirus (COVID-19) CDC

●     Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) Pandemic – WHO

●     John Hopkins University & Medicine John Hopkins University

●     Tracking coronavirus in Calif LA Times

●     Coronavirus Tracker SF Chronicle

●      Coronavirus in the U.S.: Latest Map and Case Count NY Times

●     How many coronavirus cases have been reported in each U.S. state? Politico

●     Coronavirus Daily NPR

●     Coronavirus tracked: the latest figures as the pandemic spreads Fin Times

●     Coronavirus in Calif by the numbers CalMatters

Elections 2020:

Is Calif criticism justified? GOP convention delegates who live here say it is

Fresno Bee

At a convention marked by calls for law and order, tax cuts, and the end of environment regulations, Republicans this week have taken aim at the policies and practices of Calif government. For the state’s Republican delegates, that’s just fine.

What virus? At GOP’s convention, pandemic is largely ignored

Sac Bee

It was a stunning scene in a country where parents and children have been laid to rest without their loved ones present, schools have gone to online-only learning and businesses have shut their doors to halt the spread of the coronavirus.

See Also:

●     Kevin McCarthy invokes American dream in nationally televised RNC speech praising Trump Bakersfield Califn

●     Deadly reality of COVID-19 pandemic clashes with RNC rhetoric LA Times

●     At the RNC, the claims about COVID-19 pandemic do not match reality LA Times

●     ‘No one has done more.’ At the RNC, Kevin McCarthy lauds Trump LA Times

●     Republican convention: GOP mines urban unrest to get white suburban votes LA Times

●     Trump accepts Republican nomination and claims success despite mounting crises LA Times

●     Trump’s GOP nomination acceptance address Fox News

●     Trump’s White House Rally: Takeaways From the RNC’s Final Night WSJ

●     Opinion:  Trump presented the mother of all fabrications on the White House lawn Wash Post

●     Fact-Checking Trump’s Speech and More: Night 4 of the Republican National Convention NY Times

●     Fact-Checking Donald Trump’s 2020 RNC speech PolitiFact

●     Fact Checking: 2020 Democratic National Convention PolitiFact

●     Fact Check: Trump’s Address To The Republican Convention, Annotated NPR

‘Donald Trump froze’: Kamala Harris rips into the president before his RNC speech

LA Times

Before President Trump formally accepted his party’s nomination Thursday, his Democratic rivals accused him of overseeing a convention detached from the realities of a nation buffeted by economic, health and social crises.

Editorial: Trump’s blueprint for victory

Politico

It was a bracing, brazen and at times downright bizarre spectacle. But the president unveiled a strategy this week that could win back the White House.

See also:

·       Republicans try to change Trump’s image for skeptical voters Wash Post

Opinion: This Is How Biden Loses

The Atlantic

Nothing will harm a campaign like the wishful thinking, fearful hesitation, or sheer complacency that fails to address what voters can plainly see.

See also:

·       George Will: Biden needs a Sister Souljah moment Wash Post

Proposition 14: There’s much, much more than meets the eye

Capitol Weekly

Proposition 14, the fall ballot measure to save Calif’s stem cell agency from financial extinction, contains much, much more than the $5.5 billion that it is seeking from the state’s voters.

How Greater Vote-by-Mail Influences Calif Voter Turnout

PPIC

With COVID-19 threatening the November election, many states are working to increase voting by mail. In Calif, 15 counties have already expanded alternatives to in-person voting, and while overall voter turnout was higher, groups such as foreign-language and young voters sometimes saw declines.

See also:

·       Calif to spend $35 million on mail voting campaign run by firm with ‘Team Biden’ ties Fresno Bee

●     Biden-linked firm won Calif voter outreach contract Bakersfield Califn

●     More U.S. companies pledge to give workers time off to vote in Nov LA Times

Voter Registration Is Up Sharply, as Is Partisanship

PPIC

More Californians have registered to vote this year than in any other presidential election year for the last 20 years. In 2016, about 73% of eligible adults were registered to vote. This year, more than 83% were registered as of July, according to Calif’s secretary of state.

Commentary: Mayors’ reasons for supporting Prop. 15 don’t hold up

CalMatters

Fifteen Calif mayors, including mayors of some of Calif’s biggest cities, signed a letter to Gov. Gavin Newsom urging him to endorse Proposition 15, the commercial property tax increase on the November ballot. However, the main reasons the mayors used to support their position don’t stand up to a real-world examination of the facts.

Other:

Commentary: Zoom is now critical infrastructure. That’s a concern

Brookings

It’s a cybersecurity vulnerability that would have been unimaginable as recently as last year: A single Calif-based company, Zoom, is now the foundation for education access from elementary school up through graduate school. It has also become a critical tool for many businesses.

MADDY INSTITUTE PUBLIC POLICY PROGRAMMING

Sunday, August 30, at 10 a.m. on ABC30 – Maddy Report: “Policing the Police” – Guests: Laurel Rosenhall with CALmatters, Ron Lawrence with Calif Police Chiefs Association and Alice Hoffman with Calif Chapter – NCAAP. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.

Sunday, August 30, at 10 a.m. on Newstalk 580AM/105.9FM (KMJ) – Maddy Report – Valley Views Edition: “Police Use of Deadly Force: Valley Perspectives”  – Guests: Clovis Police Chief Curt Fleming and Sandra Celedon is the Pres. & CEO of Fresno Building Health Communities. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.

AGRICULTURE/FOOD

Foster Farms processing plant in Calif ordered to shut down over COVID-19 outbreak

Fresno Bee

The Merced County Health Department ordered the Foster Farms Livingston Facility to shut down over the largest and most severe COVID-19 outbreak in Merced County, according to a statement released on Thursday by the health department. The shutdown order came Wednesday.

See Also:

●     Foster Farms plant in Merced County shut down amid uncontrolled COVID-19 outbreak, 8 deaths abc7

●     After 8 workers die of COVID-19, officials want Merced County Foster Farms plant closed LA Times

Stanislaus farm income in 2019 was solid though not spectacular.

Modesto Bee

Stanislaus County on Tuesday reported about $3.6 billion in gross farm income last year, up slightly from 2018. The report is a reminder of agriculture’s strength amid a COVID-19 pandemic that has made a mess of the 2020 economy in general.

Fires Exacerbate Difficult Working Conditions For Farm Workers

VPR

As fires continue to ravage Northern California, farm workers in the San Joaquin Valley now have to protect themselves from poor air quality on top of COVID-19. One farm worker says it’s made working in the fields even harder.

See also:

·       The 2020 wildfires and Calif wine: what we know so far SF Chronicle

Health care worker food distribution fosters community connectivity

Bakersfield Califn

Hundreds of meals were donated to local front-line health care workers Thursday courtesy of RiverLakes Community Church, Life Saver Safety and Hodel’s Country Dining. RiverLakes Pastor Angelo Frazier said it was the fifth meal giveaway his church has taken part in as a way to show appreciation to various sectors of the community.

Tighter federal rules end free meals for students in Calif and nationwide

EdSource

Millions of students and families in Calif and nationwide who have come to rely on free grab-and-go meals during the past five months of the pandemic may no longer qualify for the food service.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE/FIRE/PUBLIC SAFETY

Crime:

No, Clovis Post Office mailboxes weren’t removed for political reasons, officials say

Fresno Bee

The United States Postal Service is investigating a mail theft case that occurred earlier this spring at the Clovis Post Office, which led to the removal of two drop-off boxes. Jeff Fitch, a federal postal inspector with the USPS, said that the theft investigation was active this week.

Financial status to be considered for bail across Calif — at least for now

SF Chronicle

The state Supreme Court is requiring trial judges throughout Calif to consider a defendant’s financial status when setting bail and to avoid keeping people in jail before trial because they cannot afford to pay for their release.

Editorial: Attack racism in Calif’s criminal proceedings

LA Times

The nation has far to go to make its justice system truly just, a point that has been driven home by continuing protests against not just police killings of Black Americans but the racism built into the structure of U.S. society and law.

Public Safety:

Why a Massive COVID-19 Outbreak at Fresno County Jail Flew Under the Radar

KQED

More than 1,100 people at the Fresno County Jail have tested positive for COVID-19 since the pandemic began. The running tally of infections at the county-run complex actually surpasses those at all but two state prisons in Calif.

Calif devotes $30 million to aid parolees in pandemic

Fresno Bee

Calif has launched a $30 million program to provide thousands of parolees with community services after they complete their prison sentences or are released months early because of the coronavirus pandemic, officials announced Thursday.

Domestic violence incidents have been more severe and frequent this summer

abc30

Domestic violence cases in the Central Valley are not only increasing, but officials with the Marjaree Mason Center say the cases are more severe. This comes as Sanger Police are searching for a man who recently broke into his former wife’s home after threatening to kill her.

Police unions ask Legislature to hold special session for reforms

LA Times

With protesters back in the street this week after the police shooting of a Black man in Wisconsin, unions representing LA and SF officers Thursday asked Gov. Gavin Newsom to call a special session of the Legislature on policing before passing reforms.

See Also:

●     Many Calif police reform efforts have stalled despite push from George Floyd protests LA Times

Police reforms uncertain

CalMatters

Protests over racism and police brutality are reigniting across Calif following the Wisconsin police shooting of Jacob Blake, even as state lawmakers back away from a slate of police reform bills introduced after George Floyd’s death as the legislative session draws to a close.

Editorial: Police reforms face defeat as Calif Democrats block George Floyd-inspired bills

Sac Bee

Despite performative emoting by powerful members of Calif’s ruling party, a slate of necessary police reforms may be headed for full or partial defeat in the Calif State Legislature.

Commentary: Legislation would expand protections for survivors of domestic violence

CalMatters

The COVID-19 pandemic has allowed domestic violence to hide behind closed doors and slowly be forgotten. Many of us – survivors and supporters – have worked hard for years to push this issue out of the shadows, asking policymakers to hear uncomfortable stories and truths. This lasting damage tears at the fabric of our society in subtle and obvious ways, and affects generations.

Fire:

Castle Fire grows to more than 18,000 acres

Porterville Recorder

August 25 saw moderate fire behavior on the SQF Complex, which has now reached a combined total of 18,180 acres and remains at 0% containment. The Castle Fire alone has burned 17,998 acres.

See Also:

●     Sequoia Complex Fire up to 21,000 acres Porterville Recorder

Here are Calif’s biggest fires burning right now, and where air quality is worst

Sac Bee

As hundreds of wildfires continue to burn in Calif, mostly in the north half of the state, due to intense, rolling thunderstorms, Cal Fire saw success on Wednesday with the rapid containment of the Perry Fire in Placer County.

See also:

·       The West is burning, so Calif struggles to find help fighting its wildfires CalMatters

·       ‘The Worst Is Not Behind Us’: Calif Wildfires Continue To Burn NPR

·       ‘Wind is your boss’: Experts say strong winds could have made Calif’s wildfires worse Visalia Times Delta

·       How to Weigh Evacuation Options With Both Wildfires and COVID at Your Door Calif Healthline

·       Inside Calif’s dearth of firefighters CalMatters

·       Neighbors with hoses target fires as crews urge them to stop AP News

ECONOMY/JOBS

Economy:

Many U.S. museums in trouble, but locals hanging on through pandemic

KGET

To the list of struggling institutions, add one more — the museum industry, public and private. The pandemic has taken a toll on virtually all businesses that rely on crowds and physical attendance —which describes the experience offered by art and historical museums.

These Riverbank businesses were fined for COVID-19 violations. What owners are saying

Modesto Bee

One Riverbank health club kept its indoor gym open on Tuesday, despite receiving a citation for violating state orders designed to curb the spread of the coronavirus. The Fit Republic on Patterson Road is one of four businesses Riverbank has fined for not complying with public health orders, acting under an enforcement ordinance the City Council passed in April, according to records obtained by The Bee.

Steps Calif can take now to reimagine an equitable recovery

CAFwd

During the COVID-induced economic crisis, a great deal of attention has been focused on the provision of unemployment benefits and eviction moratoriums. But as important as these lifelines have been, they are not mechanisms for redressing economic inequality and structural racism.

Fed Approves Shift on Inflation Goal, Ushering In Longer Era of Low Rates

WSJ

The Federal Reserve approved a major shift in how it sets interest rates by dropping its longstanding practice of pre-emptively lifting them to head off higher inflation, a move likely to leave U.S. borrowing costs very low for a long time.

See also:

·       What is the Fed’s new policy framework, and why does it matter? Reuters

·       S&P 500 ticks up as ‘era of easy money’ looks set to last LA Times

OPINION:  Is enough being done to prepare for a COVID-19 economic fallout?

Merced Sun-Star

The coronavirus pandemic has devastated Calif’s economy. With unemployment surging as high as 15%, and with a budget hole estimated at $54 billion, state leaders face tough choices.

Jobs:

Unemployed Californians to receive extra $300 in weekly jobless benefits. Here’s when

Fresno Bee

An extra $300 per week available to Calif’s unemployed residents will start going out the week beginning Sept. 7. The benefit, which will be in addition to regular weekly checks, will be rolled out in phases, so not everyone will see the extra money in two weeks.

See Also:

●     New $300-a-week unemployment benefits coming soon, Calif officials say LA Times

●     WALTERS: Politics, snafus stall jobless benefits CalMatters

Pandemic unemployment benefit is big, backlogged, and prone to fraud

AEI

Unfortunately for taxpayers and people in need, another way the pandemic unemployment assistance program may be historic is in its susceptibility to fraud and abuse.

Coaches, musicians and more to be exempted from Calif labor law under Democratic plan

Fresno Bee

Calif Democrats on Thursday released a final package of exemptions to a new state labor law that requires businesses to give benefits to more employees, allowing more leeway for youth sports coaches, artists, appraisers and insurance field representatives to work as independent contractors.

Most nursing home inspectors still haven’t been tested for the coronavirus, despite Newsom pledge

LA Times

A month after Gov. Gavin Newsom promised an aggressive program to test nursing home inspectors for the deadly coronavirus, at least 60% still have not been tested, state health officials acknowledged.

Workers and customers are catching COVID-19. Should businesses escape blame?

LA Times

Henry Ephriam landed in the hospital, terrified and suffering from chest pains, one of 125 workers at the Ralphs grocery chain’s Compton warehouse who were sickened with COVID-19.

Need a job? This national chain is hiring 110 workers throughout Fresno, Valley

Fresno Bee

Domino’s pizza restaurants are seeking to hire more than 110 people in the Fresno area. The franchises are looking for workers at 22 restaurants from Merced to Visalia. Positions include delivery drivers, customer service representatives, assistant managers and managers.

EDUCATION

K-12:

Fresno Co has not given up trying to stop private school from teaching on campus

Fresno Bee

Fresno County may have lost the first round in its battle with Immanuel Schools in Reedley over in-person teaching on its campus, but it has not given up the fight. The county has been trying to force the private, faith-based school to comply with its order to operate by remote learning until Fresno County gets off the state’s COVID-19 monitoring list for 14 consecutive days.

See also:

·       Clovis Private School Remains Open Clovis RoundUp

·       Judge blocks rule that moves relief funds to private schools Bakersfield Califn

·       Private schools dominate Calif’s first round of reopening waivers Politico

When will Fresno-area schools reopen amid COVID-19? It could be ‘weeks, not months’

Fresno Bee

Fresno County’s top health official said Fresno-area schools could begin applying for waivers to reopen in a matter of weeks despite Calif’s coronavirus watchlist. But that’s not a promise and Fresno residents will have a lot of work to do if that’s going to happen.

See also:

·       How Many Coronavirus Cases Are Happening In Schools? This Tracker Keeps Count VPR

Homeless Children, Students With Special Needs Can Return To Classrooms Under New Calif Guidance

Capital Public Radio

At the Mustard Seed School in Sac, many of the students live in shelters, cars, motels or tents. Before the pandemic, they showed up at the classroom for daily instruction, as well as showers, meals and other services available at the Loaves and Fishes homeless resource center north of downtown.

See Also:

●     More Special Ed Students to Return to School Clovis RoundUp

State says schools can offer small learning pods. What Stanislaus districts are doing

Modesto Bee

Under guidance from the Calif Department of Public Health issued this week, school districts in Stanislaus County are working toward providing in-person instruction and other services to small groups of children including at-risk students, those with disabilities and other special needs, and English language learners.

Fresno’s Learning Curve: Navigating Education Access in a Pandemic

Fresno Bee

“Learning Curve: Navigating Education Access in a Pandemic” was a panel that explored the profound impact the coronavirus is having on families with children in school.

See also:

·       Low-income parents turn to neighbors, family for help with distance learning EdSource

Commentary: Students succeed with support, not threats from probation officers

CalMatters

When I was a student at Venice High School, a probation officer in a dark suit and sunglasses started following me around every day on campus.  He carried a clipboard as he said to me loudly, “You’re on my roster.  You’re supposed to come see me.”

Blackboard brawl: How Calif’s teachers hope to avoid 60,000 layoffs

CalMatters

After a spring of crisis education, teachers’ unions hope to parlay many successful reopening battles into bigger electoral victories. But they’re also bracing for layoffs of up to 60,000 educators, and some teachers are still scrambling for bare-minimum supplies.

Higher Ed:

Hoping to return to campus amid COVID-19? Bad news for Fresno community college students

Fresno Bee

Fresno City College and other community colleges in the central San Joaquin Valley will remain primarily online for the spring 2021 semester, according to a Thursday morning announcement from the State Center Community College District.

See Also:

●     Spring classes to remain mostly online for State Center Community College District abc30

UC Merced named one of top colleges based on value in the country by Money

Merced Sun-Star

UC Merced was ranked No. 76 in Money magazine’s latest “Best Colleges” list. The list included over 700 universities that qualified for the evaluation. It’s UC Merced’s first appearance on the annual list, which is compiled by Money based off of value.

Expanding Enrollment Capacity at Calif State University

PPIC

Calif State University (CSU) is an engine of economic mobility for Califns, particularly those from historically underrepresented communities. The system’s 23 campuses are also vital in helping the state meet labor market demands for highly educated workers.

Pandemic tests an already-fragile college mental health system

CalMatters

This spring, as the coronavirus pandemic disrupted campus life for college students across Calif, UC San Diego sophomore Kayla Monnette had trouble sleeping at night.

ENVIRONMENT/ENERGY

Environment:

Calif adopts major pollution cuts for diesel trucks and ships

LA Times

Calif air quality officials have adopted their biggest pollution-cutting regulations in more than a decade, targeting diesel trucks and cargo ships that spew much of the state’s health-damaging pollution.

See Also:

●     Shape up or ship out: Calif requires ships, trucks to eliminate thousands of tons of pollution CalMatters

●     Calif adopts major pollution cuts for diesel trucks and ships yahoo!news

Environmental Justice Becomes Part of Calif City Planning

Bloomberg Law

More than 140 cities and counties in Calif intend to update their long-term plans over the next two years to include environmental justice, meaning air pollution, water quality, and other factors affecting disadvantaged communities would get a closer look.

Energy:

What caused Calif’s rolling blackouts? Regulators look for answers

SF Chronicle

Calif regulators plan to publish an analysis in the coming weeks about how Calif arrived at its worst power supply shortage in 19 years during the recent heat wave.

Solar and storage should be state’s clean energy focus

CalMatters

The centerpiece of the state’s strategy to meet ambitious clean energy goals is increased use of solar energy. Assemblyman Eduardo Garcia’s commentary does not mention the word “solar” even once. Let us be specific about what we need during the COVID-19 pandemic. We need cooperation, removal of red tape and the provision of financial incentives from the utilities and government.

HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES

Health:

Coronavirus updates: Death toll hits 700 for the region; More kids are becoming infected

Fresno Bee

Nearly 20 more deaths were attributed to the coronavrius across the central San Joaquin Valley on Wednesday and Thursday, bringing the region’s total number of coronavirus-related deaths to 707 since the pandemic began.

See Also:

●     Fresno County coronavirus cases push past 24,000 infections, region numbers increase Fresno Bee

●     COVID-19 update: Active cases continue to decline Porterville Recorder

●     Kern County public health reports 5 new COVID-19 deaths, 242 additional cases Bakersfield Califn

●     Major concerns for Kern and Central Valley counties as coronavirus transmission remains high KGET

●     Coronavirus update: Stanislaus County has highest single-day positivity rate Modesto Bee

Does my COVID mask protect me from wildfire smoke? Experts answer key questions

Fresno Bee

In recent days, Sac weather conditions have improved, reducing smoke in the air, but hundreds of wildfires continue to burn across Calif. This fire season brought novel challenges, since poor air quality limited the potential for outdoor activities — which officials had encouraged as a safer alternative during the pandemic.

How to tell the difference between seasonal allergies and coronavirus symptoms

abc30

It’s the height of summer, but the fall allergy season is upon us. Ragweed and mold levels are on the rise, which can mean misery for allergy sufferers. “I’m able to deal with it a lot better than I was in the past, but in the past, it was pretty terrible,” David Soler said.

‘Ankle-biter’ mosquito now a permanent resident of Kern, but cheer up, she won’t kill you

Bakersfield Califn

One benefit Bakersfield has long enjoyed — a benefit millions of Americans do not have — has been the ability to take a walk on a spring or summer evening, or sip a drink on an unprotected porch, without being “eaten up” by swarms of mosquitoes.

Calif poised to become national leader on mental health and addiction coverage

CalMatters

Califns could see the most dramatic expansion of mental health and addiction coverage under state law in decades, if Gov. Gavin Newsom signs a bill that is likely heading to his desk in coming weeks.

Covid-19 Vaccine Hesitancy Is a Growing Concern for Researchers, Health Officials

WSJ

Scientists and drugmakers are beginning efforts to overcome Americans’ safety and other concerns about Covid-19 vaccines, while U.S. health authorities ready a campaign to encourage widespread uptake.

Human Services:

Convalescent plasma drive to be hosted at Kern County Fairgrounds on Sept. 2

Bakersfield Califn

Kern County Supervisors Leticia Perez and Mike Maggard are partnering with Houchin Community Blood Bank to host a COVID-19 convalescent plasma drive on Sept. 2 at the Kern County Fairgrounds from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

CDC’s Changed Testing Guidelines Could Lead To Less Testing, Experts Fear

VPR

The Trump administration has stirred confusion and concern by rewriting its guidelines for coronavirus testing. Public health experts fear the revised guidelines will lead to less testing – something the president has repeatedly asked for — but the administration denies that.

‘Game Changer’ In Calif Coronavirus Testing To Double Capacity And Speed Up Results

Capital Public Radio

Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Wednesday that the state will soon more than double its coronavirus testing capacity, a move that at least one legislator described as a “game changer” in the state’s pandemic response.

See Also:

●     Calif unveils coronavirus testing plan that could speed school, business reopening SF Chronicle

Health care employees with COVID say they’ve been asked to work. It’s allowed, per CDC

Miami Herald

They aren’t new, in fact they were updated in July, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s coronavirus guidelines on working in health care facilities has one Illinois nursing home under investigation, FOX8 reported.

U.S. Announces Deal With Abbott Laboratories for 150 Million Rapid Covid-19 Tests

WSJ

The Trump administration unveiled Thursday a $750 million deal to buy 150 million rapid Covid-19 tests from Abbott Laboratories , a move that would substantially expand the nation’s capacity for rapid testing.

FDA’s Hahn Apologizes For Overselling Plasma’s Benefits As A COVID-19 Treatment

NPR

The Food and Drug Administration’s chief has undercut the agency’s assertion that it is basing its decisions on science, not politics. At a White House event Sunday with President Trump, FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn used a deeply misleading statistic to claim that a treatment the agency had just authorized for treating the coronavirus would save 35 lives out of every 100 people who get the treatment.

New bill would create statewide office of suicide prevention to help reduce CA suicide rates

abc30

As many people face isolation and job loss due to the coronavirus pandemic, suicide prevention has never been more critical than now. Mental health hotlines nationwide, including here in Central Calif, have seen a surge in calls. The month of June saw 18 suicides in Fresno County alone — that’s nearly double from the previous two years.

IMMIGRATION

A nation of immigrants no more

Vox

On the campaign trail in August 2016, then-candidate Donald Trump departed from his typical stump speech to give an uncharacteristically detailed address in Phoenix that would define his immigration agenda for the next four years.

LAND USE/HOUSING

Land Use:

Ambitious downtown Fresno development would change a landmark view

abc30

A Fresno developer is getting ready to make major changes to add businesses and homes along Fulton Street, but the ambitious plan would also change a Fresno landmark. Paul Simon is a recent Fresno transplant who found his comfort zone in the art between downtown and the Tower District.

Housing:

Fresno Co Point-In-Time Count Finds 50% More People Homeless In 2020

VPR

Fresno County officials announced the results from January’s homeless point-in-time count Wednesday, including a significant rise in unhoused individuals. This year’s annual point-in-time count found 3,251 people experiencing homelessness throughout Fresno County. That’s about a 50 percent increase from 2019, when the number of people counted was 2,131. However, more people than usual were counted in shelters.

See Also:

●     Fresno-Madera Continuum of Care releases 2020 Point-in-Time homeless count for the region Hanford Sentinel

$20M solar energy project coming to Fresno apartment

Business Journal

Solar energy for homes has been a growing trend in the Central Valley for years, and a new project in Fresno is using the clean energy to power an apartment complex.

State leaders to unveil eviction moratorium on Friday

Orange County Register

A bill to extend a statewide eviction moratorium is expected to be unveiled in the Calif Legislature Friday morning, just in time for the Senate to meet a deadline to approve the measure, a state landlord group announced Thursday, Aug. 27.

Technical Assistance Workshop: Public Engagement for Housing Elements During COVID

HCD

The COVID pandemic has changed the way local governments engage their communities. Cities and counties across the state are grappling with how to authentically engage their communities and comply with the engagement requirements of their 6th cycle housing element updates.

Editorial: No time for half-measures in Calif’s coming eviction tsunami

LA Times

Calif has spent billions of dollars in recent years trying to ease the state’s staggering and disgraceful homeless crisis. As Gov. Gavin Newsom declared just a few months ago: “This is our cause. This is our calling.”

More Space, Please: Home Sales Booming Despite Pandemic, Recession

VPR

Despite the steepest plunge into a recession on record, historically high unemployment and an uncertain outlook for the economy, the housing market is on a tear.

PUBLIC FINANCES

Tears, fears and fed up: Readers say extra $600 shouldn’t be partisan

CalMatters

CalMatters invited readers to share their experience on how they’re getting by without the extra $600-per-week in unemployment assistance. Califns from San Diego and San Dimas to Fresno and Ripon responded with harrowing tales of trying to make ends meet.

Americans saved nearly $91 billion by working from home during pandemic: report

The Hill

Americans have saved nearly $91 billion working from home during the coronavirus pandemic, according to a study by economist Adam Ozimek of Upwork. The analysis estimated that cutting daily commutes out of the equation has saved Americans about $758 million a day in time and expense since the pandemic began.

Another Check From the IRS? What to Know About Tax Refund Interest Payments

U.S. News

If You Received A Refund Check From The Irs For Filing Your 2019 Federal Income Tax Returns, And You Also Received A Stimulus Check Earlier This Year, You May Soon Be Three For Three.

TRANSPORTATION

Bus Associations Call for CERTS Act in Next Economic Relief Package

School Transportation News

The National School Transportation Association joined the American Bus Association, United Motorcoach Association and Passenger Vessel Association in urging the Trump administration’s support of the CERTS Act, in a letter addressed to the White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows on Wednesday.

WATER

CPUC approves structural change to water bills

Bakersfield Califn

State utility regulators on Thursday put an end to a system that’s allowed investor-owned water utilities including Calif Water Service to bill customers the cost difference between expected and actual water usage.

“Xtra”

Gregory Porter sings of love, but unspeakable grief and the scars of racism lie just beneath

LA Times

In February of this year, vocalist Gregory Porter stood at his kitchen island effortlessly chopping long, uniform strips of red cabbage. Several liberally seasoned cuts of salmon were sizzling in a pan behind him. His Georgian-style estate, with its half-circle driveway and sparkling rectangular pool, lies hidden in the center of Bakersfield, a two-hour commute from his usual recording studio in Hollywood’s Capitol Records tower.

Nothing Bundt Cakes finally comes to Fresno. Here’s when and where to get its sweet treats

Fresno Bee

After five years in Clovis, Nothing Bundt Cakes is opening a Fresno location. The seller of bundtlets, bundtinis and other sizes of bundt cakes with cream cheese frosting has a loyal following. In addition to its Clovis location, Nothing Bundt Cakes opened a franchise in Visaliaearlier this year.

This national chain is opening an ice cream and cookie shop in Clovis. Here’s when it opens

Fresno Bee

Clovis is getting a cookie shop. This cookie shop delivers cookies to your car in the parking lot, or your home, along with its regular store setup. It also sells ice cream.

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Maddy Institute Updated List of San Joaquin Valley Elected Officials HERE.

The Kenneth L. Maddy Institute was established to honor the legacy of one of Calif’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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