August 7, 2020

07Aug

POLICY & POLITICS

North SJ Valley:

Merced County COVID-19 deaths this week rise to 18, as state data issue complicates pandemic

Merced Sun-Star

Nine additional COVID-19 deaths of Merced County residents were reported by County Public Health on Wednesday, bringing the fatality count since the pandemic began to 60.

Stanislaus has 10 more deaths. Schools to test bandwidth

Modesto Bee

Stanislaus County added 10 residents to the virus death toll Tuesday, bringing the total to 145. There was no further information from Stanislaus County, which took down its COVID-19 dashboard after technical errors in the state system rendered data throughout Calif as potentially undercounted.

See Also:

●     COVID-19 hasn’t slowed in Stanislaus County. Here’s why the numbers are wrongModesto Bee

●     Nurses demand better working conditions in Modesto Modesto Bee

Modesto is close to enacting downtown vision with housing, walkable spaces and more

Modesto Bee

Modesto’s downtown will have a lot more places to live, along with businesses and green spaces, under a plan endorsed by the city’s Planning Commission. The commission voted unanimously Monday to recommend approval of the plan by the Modesto City Council. That could happen Tuesday, Aug. 11.

‘Stockton on My Mind’ shows mayor’s dreams for hurting city

SF Gate

Walk into the Stockton, Calfornia, city offices and you might hear Drake’s “God’s Plan” coming from the mayor’s office. There, Mayor Michael Tubbs could be bobbing his head to the lyrics, “I can’t do this one my own, ayy, no, ayy.” Outside those walls sits one of the poorest, least literate communities in the nation.

Central SJ Valley:

Dr. Fauci warns of trouble in Valley; Deaths in the region top 500

Fresno Bee

Calif reported 202 new deaths from the coronavirus on Wednesday, the second-most of any day since the start of the pandemic. The state set a record last Friday with 219 COVID-19 fatalities reported.

See also:

●     Fresno County adds 353 new cases of coronavirus Fresno Bee

●     Huge increase in recoveries; huge decline in active cases Porterville Recorder

Fresno Remains Behind State Average For 2020 Census Response 

Valley Public Radio

The City of Fresno’s response rate to the 2020 census is lower than the state average of 63.5%. Right now, 62.3% of households have responded, but the rate falls below 50% in certain Fresno zip codes.

Fresno Mayor-elect Jerry Dyer on the Black Lives Matter movement

Fresno Bee

Fresno Mayor-elect Jerry Dyer shares his thoughts on the Black Lives Matter movement and the importance of seizing the momentum of the movement in hopes of affecting change in society, during an interview, July 21, 2020.

Asm. Jim Patterson Calls For Dismissal of EDD Director

Clovis RoundUp

Asm. Jim Patterson (R-Fresno), who represents the 23rd Assembly District, announced the replacement of the Employment Development Department (EDD) Director Sharon Hilliard.

Devin Nunes can’t sue Esquire magazine over Iowa dairy story, judge rules

Fresno Bee

Rep. Devin Nunes cannot sue Esquire magazine over a 2018 story that described his family’s farm in Iowa, a federal judge ruled Wednesday, marking the congressman’s second loss in the cluster of lawsuits he filed against news organizations and critics.

See Also:

●     Judge again tells Devin Nunes he can’t sue Twitter over fake cow’s tweetsFresno Bee

●     Nunes opponent pins hopes on shifting demographics in uphill battle  TheHill

Editorial: Fresno congressman gets special entry to Yosemite park

Fresno Bee

It should have been a highlight of Rep. TJ Cox’s first term: President Trump this past week signed the Great American Outdoors Act, a measure the Fresno Democrat co-authored to give badly needed funding to national parks for deferred maintenance.

South SJ Valley:

Kern Public Health reports 291 new COVID-19 cases Thursday

Bakersfield califn

The Kern County Public Health Services Department reported 291 new COVID-19 cases Thursday morning. The health department has reported 21,734 cases since the first was announced March 13. There have been 152 local COVID-19 fatalities during that time, according to county data.

See Also:

●     COVID-19: It’s all bad news in Tulare County as cases continue to riseVisalia Times Delta

●     Bakersfield ICU beds exceed capacity as reinforcements arrive to assist in fight against COVID-19 Bakersfield Califn.

Amid coronavirus outbreak at Bakersfield immigration facility, emails show ICE deliberately limited testing

LA Times

Last month, as the coronavirus spread through federal immigration detention centers around the country, officials at the Mesa Verde facility in Bakersfield rejected a suggestion to test all detainees there because it would be difficult to quarantine those who tested positive, the officials said.

See Also:

●     Judge orders Bakersfield immigration holding facility to test all detainees weeklySFChronicle

Oil buffer-zone bill suffers setback during public hearing supporters call unfair

Bakersfield Calif.

A bill proposing to establish buffer zones between oil wells and public facilities in Calif, potentially costing Kern’s economy billions of dollars, was narrowly defeated in Sacramento on Wednesday — but not before sparking frustration among supporters who later said the virtual public hearing preceding the vote was flawed and unfair.

State:

Calif COVID-19 data glitch interferes with contact tracing, school reopening waivers

Fresno Bee

A major COVID-19 data glitch in calif means counties don’t know how many residents have tested positive in recent days, suddenly making it hard to gauge their success in battling the coronavirus.

See Also:

●     Calif data problem stalls contact tracing; death toll near 10,000Sac Bee

●     ‘Broken’ coronavirus tracking system leaves Calif in the dark: ‘We have no idea’

●     Calif’s computer glitch causing widespread confusion for counties, business and schools SF Chronicle

Calif Democrats divided over COVID-19 stimulus, millionaire tax to fund economic recovery

CalMatters

They show up at county meetings. They post calls to action on Instagram. In the age of coronavirus, they organize car caravans and Facebook town halls. For Crisantema Gallardo, the 29-year-old director of Central Valley youth organizing group 99Rootz, years of groundwork are coming to a head with a high-stakes battle over how to dig Calif out of a sudden $54 billion deficit.

See also:

·       Gov. Gavin Newsom: Calif on “the edge of a cliff” CALmatters

Gov. Newsom steers a middle path in the face of coronavirus

CalMatters

As coronavirus infections and deaths rise dramatically, the Democratic governor navigates pressure to both tighten restrictions and ease up on businesses.

California’s 800,000 farmworkers are under siege from the coronavirus. Lawmakers urge relief

Sac Bee

“It seems like every day there is a new story of an outbreak among our farmworkers.”

Coronavirus impact: Chasm grows between whites, people of color, Calif poll finds

San Jose Mercury

The ongoing coronavirus pandemic and its economic toll are hitting people of color in Calif especially hard, and a new poll illustrates just how alarming the disparity has grown among the state’s families.

A mask in every mailbox? Calif Democrats up pressure campaign in Congress

SF Chronicle

Calif Democrats in Congress are increasing pressure on their leaders to get all Americans to wear masks to fight the coronavirus pandemic — including by mailing them to every household. Reps. Ro Khanna of Fremont and Adam Schiff of Burbank wrote a letter this week to House and Senate leaders, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-San Francisco, asking them to include a free-masks-for-all program in a coronavirus relief package that is now the subject of intense negotiations on Capitol Hill.

See also:

●     66,000 lives could be saved if more people wear masks in US Fresno Bee

Calif state senator introduced a bill pushing LGBTQ equality — and a QAnon mob came for him

Politico / Mother Jones

Scott Wiener is used to being targeted for his legislation. The Calif State Senator represents San Francisco, and has long championed the kind of progressive reforms that have attracted the ire of right-wing culture warriors and their online trolling.

Federal:

Most Americans Say State Governments Have Lifted COVID-19 Restrictions Too Quickly

PEW

More attribute the rise in coronavirus cases to new infections, not just more testing.

5 former CDC directors on where US went wrong in its COVID-19 response

ABC News

“We will recover, but the question is: How long will it take?”

White House, Democrats fail to reach agreement on virus relief bill, and next steps are uncertain

Washington Post

White House officials and Democratic leaders ended a three-hour negotiation Thursday evening without a coronavirus relief deal or even a clear path forward, with both sides remaining far apart on critical issues. 

See also:

●     Negotiators Close In on Coronavirus Aid Deadline With No Deal WSJ

Judge throws out House GOP lawsuit over proxy voting

TheHill

A federal judge on Thursday threw out a House GOP lawsuit alleging that the proxy voting system approved by House Democrats is unconstitutional.

‘See you in court’: ACLU files nearly 400 cases against Trump

LA Times

The day after Donald Trump’s election in November 2016, the American Civil Liberties Union posted a message to him on its website: “See you in court.” As president, Trump hasn’t personally squared off against the ACLU from the witness stand, but the broader warning has been borne out. As of this week, the ACLU has filed nearly 400 lawsuits and other legal actions against the Trump administration, some meeting with setbacks but many resulting in important victories.

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 SFChronicle

●     Coronavirus in the U.S.: Latest Map and Case CountNY 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

Coronavirus Cases Are Surging. The Contact Tracing Workforce Is Not

Valley Public Radio

The country needs as many as 100,000 contact tracers to fight the pandemic, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention told Congress in June. We need billions of dollars to fund them, public health leaders pleaded in April. But in August, with coronavirus cases increasing in more than half of states, America has neither the staff nor the resources to be able to trace the contacts of every new case — a key step in the COVID-19 public health response

Prices For COVID-19 Vaccines Are Starting To Come Into Focus

Valley Public Radio

How much will vaccines against the coronavirus cost? Even though none has finished clinical testing, some clues about pricing are starting to emerge. Cambridge, Mass.-based Moderna, one of the leading horses in the vaccine race, has already made deals at between $32 and $37 per dose of its experimental coronavirus vaccine in agreements with some foreign countries, rattling consumer advocates, who fear an unfair deal for U.S. taxpayer

Elections 2020:

Who will Biden pick as his vice president? Likely contenders include Kamala Harris, Susan Rice, Elizabeth Warren

abc30

Who will Joe Biden pick as his running mate for his 2020 presidential run? We know for sure that the former vice president will pick a woman, and he is believed to be considering several women of color.

See Also:

●     How LA Rep. Karen Bass shot up Biden’s VP list LA Times

●     Biden VP race is highly fluid days before expected pick TheHill

●     Biden says Harris is ‘very much in contention’ to be his running mate Politico

●     Who’s the right kind of woman, Joe? Biden’s team is fine with a female VP, as long as they’re sure she’ll step out of the frame The Cut

●     Skelton: For Newsom and Calif, there’s a lot more riding on Biden’s decision than who becomes vice presidentLA Times

Where’s Joe Biden? Not on the Campaign Trail 

US News

Coronavirus has the presumptive Democratic nominee campaigning from home. But some worry he can’t convince voters that way.

Trump, losing grip on GOP, wields less clout as crises mount

LA Times

Less than three months before election day, evidence is mounting that President Trump is losing political influence in Washington and facing the early onset of “lame duck” status as Republican leaders in Congress increasingly appear willing to defy or rebuff him.

Calif lawmakers set in-person voting rules amid virus

Modesto Bee

Worried about the unpredictable coronavirus wreaking havoc on the November election, the Calif Legislature on Thursday sent a bill to Gov. Gavin Newsom that would let counties offer fewer in-person polling places in exchange for opening the sites earlier.

See Also:

●     Fact Check: Will Calif’s vote-by-mail order really lead to election fraud in November?Sac Bee

●     Opinion: The vote-by-mail fight is over. Trump ended itWash Post

Could Trump’s declining Central Valley numbers affect down-ballot races?

KGET 17

President Trump is losing support in some of his supposed Calif strongholds, according to a poll out this week from the Institute of Governmental Studies. That’s even the case in the Central Valley — perhaps the strongest of Trump’s West Coast strongholds.

Young minority voters show overwhelming support for Biden: poll

TheHill

Minority voters between the ages of 18 and 34 are showing overwhelming support for former Vice President Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, in a national poll released this week by Buzzfeed Newsand Telemundo.

See also:

·       A ‘war room’ that arms Black and Latino voters against disinformation LA Times

·       Facebook bans ads from pro-Trump PAC CNN

Could These Evangelical Democrats Change the Party?

POLITICO

They’re horrified by Trump and hope to pull their fellow Christians away from the GOP, but also need to sway a very secular party.

With Contentious Measures On Calif’s Ballot, Lawsuits Over Language Pile Up

Capital Public Radio

Ballot propositions offer a unique set of political battles every election cycle in Calif. But even with the election months away, another type of fight over initiatives has been playing out in the Sacramento Superior Court this week.

See also:

·       Fox: Prop 15 and the Tug-of-War over Gov. Newsom Fox & Hounds

Other:

Trump Widens China Tech Attack, Ordering Bans on TikTok and WeChat

Bloomberg

President Donald Trump signed a pair of executive orders prohibiting U.S. residents from doing business with the Chinese-owned TikTok and WeChat apps beginning 45 days from now, citing the national security risk of leaving Americans’ personal data exposed.

See also:

●     Trump Issues Order Barring U.S. Transactions With TikTok in 45 DaysWSJ

●     Trump issues executive orders against TikTok and WeChat POLITICO

●     Trump issues executive orders against Chinese firms, citing national security concerns Washington Post

●     Mark Zuckerberg says a ban on TikTok would set ‘a really bad long-term precedent’ Buzzfeed News

Facebook’s dilemma: How to police claims about unproven COVID-19 vaccines

Reuters

Since the World Health Organization declared the novel coronavirus an international health emergency in January, Facebook has removed more than 7 million pieces of content with false claims about the virus that could pose an immediate health risk to people who believe them.

7 Strategies for Promoting Collaboration in a Crisis

HBR

Crises like the Covid-19 pandemic highlight the importance of effective collaboration for long-term commercial success. Particularly in a crisis, organizations need to pull together experts with unique, cross-functional perspectives to solve rapidly changing, complex problems that have long-term implications. The diversity of experience allows a group to see risks and opportunities from different angles so that it can generate new solutions and adapt dynamically to changing situations.

Noonan: America Is a Coalition of the Worried

WSJ

Everyone is anxious this summer—not over regular things, but over big and essential things.

AGRICULTURE/FOOD

California’s 800,000 farmworkers are under siege from the coronavirus. Lawmakers urge relief

Sac Bee“It seems like every day there is a new story of an outbreak among our farmworkers.”

Food for the frontline: Chingons, PACC donate to healthcare workers

Porterville Recorder

The Porterville Area Coordinating Council’s (PACC) new leaders teamed up with Chingons Tacos to donate and deliver 600 tacos to healthcare workers who are working on the frontline at Sierra View Medical Center (SVMC) on Wednesday in Porterville. At noon on Wednesday, PACC and Chingons Tacos made their first delivery of 300 tacos to SVMC, only to return later in the evening, around 7 p.m., to make a second delivery of 300 tacos.

With loss of fair, Westside Ministries youth think inside the box to sell their produce

Modesto Bee

Youth in the agriculture program at Westside Ministries in Turlock didn’t get to show their farm bounty at the pandemic-canceled Stanislaus County Fair. “I was going to show flowers and vegetables,” said Tekoa Murphy, a pixie-sized, exuberant 12-year-old member of Westside’s Summer Youth Program who was chatting with the pet chickens and picking peaches on Tuesday.

More Farmers Declare Bankruptcy Despite Record Levels of Federal Aid

WSJ

Coronavirus pandemic adds strain to agricultural economy already reeling from trade fights, commodity glut.

Black Lives Matter movement sparks ‘collective awakening’ on marijuana policies

POLITICO

States and cities across the country have overhauled their marijuana policies in recent months, propelled by the Black Lives Matter protests over racial inequality and police brutality.

DEA Reveals Details Of Investigation Into Calif Marijuana Companies With Latest Court Filing

POLITICO / Marijuana Moment

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) revealed additional details about their investigation into certain Calif marijuana businesses on Wednesday.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE/FIRE/PUBLIC SAFETY

Crime:

17,600 CA inmates may be released early due to COVID-19, officials say

abc30

State prison officials say as many as 17,600 calif inmates may be released early due to the coronavirus, 70% more than previously estimated and a total that victims and police say includes dangerous criminals who should stay locked up.

See also:

●     Calif ups early inmate release estimate amid objections AP News

“Pervasive failure to investigate:” Report finds lack of scrutiny in cases of missing and murdered Indigenous women

CALmatters

A new report by the Sovereign Bodies Institute, a data-driven nonprofit based in Humboldt, details for the first time the lack of scrutiny and data surrounding the cases of 105 missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls across northern Calif, from the Bay Area to the Oregon border. 

Many Americans Are Convinced Crime Is Rising In The U.S. They’re Wrong

FiveThirtyEight

Will you get robbed this year? How would you rate your chances? Over 10 years, from 1994 to 2004, the national Survey of Economic Expectations asked respondents to do just that. People estimated their risks for a whole host of bad-news life events — robbery, burglary, job loss and losing their health insurance.

Public Safety:

Valley State Prison correctional officer dies after contracting coronavirus

Fresno Bee

A correctional sergeant at Valley State Prison has died after contracting COVID-19, according to the calif Correctional Peace Officers Association. Sergeant Seeyengkee Ly died on Aug. 2, according to a statement released by Glen Stailey, State President of the calif Correctional Peace Officers Association.

See Also:

●     9 employees test positive for COVID-19 in 2 weeks at Calif state hospital on Central CoastSac Bee

●     Eighth Calif corrections officer dies of COVID-19LA Times

●     Calif prison workers file grievance accusing CDCR of failing to prevent coronavirus outbreaksSFChronicle

●     Supreme Court rules OC jails won’t require social distancing  Fresno Bee

New York Attorney General Seeks to Dissolve National Rifle Association

WSJ

State probe into nonprofit alleges it found tens of millions in diverted funds, mismanagement; NRA calls suit ‘a rank political vendetta’.

See also:

●     Editorial: Gunning for the NRA WSJ

Fire:

Crews fighting 600-acre wildfire near Pine Flat Lake in Fresno County

Fresno Bee

Cultural resources around Sacata Ridge along with transmission lines were under threat, officials said.

Updated: Stagecoach Fire grows to 6,700 acres, 10% containment, BLM reports

Bakersfield Califn

The Stagecoach Fire has burned 6,700 acres as of Thursday morning and is at 10 % containment, according to the Bureau of Land Management Calif. As of Thursday afternoon, the fire had destroyed 8 additional structures, totaling 10, according to the Kern County Fire Department. The fire’s activity increased and pushed 2 miles east into the Sequoia National Forest, according to KCFD.

KCFD contains 36-acre Johnson wildfire near Tehachapi

Bakersfield califn

The Kern County Fire Department battled and contained a 36-acre wildfire Wednesday afternoon near Highway 202 in Tehachapi. At about 3:30 p.m., KCFD’s emergency dispatchers received calls for smoke and flames on the hillside near Highway 202 in Tehachapi.

Apple fire chars over 28,000 acres, prompting new evacuations for Morongo Valley

LA Times

The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department has issued new evacuation warnings for residents of Morongo Valley, where the nearby Apple fire has ravaged Cherry Valley and the mountains of the San Bernardino National Forest for nearly a week.

ECONOMY/JOBS

Economy:

Mayor-elect Jerry Dyer’s plans to help the Black community economically

Fresno Bee

Fresno Mayor-elect Jerry Dyer talks about his plans for job creation in the Black community, unifying the city, and his plan to present efforts in they city’s workforce to end racism, during an interview, July 21, 2020.

Another River Park clothing store closing as pandemic hits mall retailers in Fresno

Fresno Bee

Another clothing store is closing its Fresno-area locations. Justice, the tween clothing retailer, will close its River Park location and its store at the Tulare Outlets. The store’s parent company, Ascena Retail Group, filed for bankruptcy last month, as The Bee reported July 23.

This downtown Fresno bar tried to follow the rules with to-go cocktails. Now it’s closed

Fresno Bee

After more than three months of selling to-go cocktails with food, downtown bar Modernist has shut down. The closure – temporary due to the coronavirus pandemic – came after the City of Fresno’s code enforcement visited the Fulton Street bar, giving notice that it didn’t meet the rules for serving to-go cocktails.

Latino business have less cash, fewer PPP loans in recession

Sac Bee

Prior to the pandemic, Latino small business owners already had more challenges obtaining loans to launch their endeavors than other demographic groups, according to the Stanford Latino Entrepreneurship Initiative.

FAST Federal Credit Union to pay for portion of customers’ purchases

Hanford Sentinel

FAST Federal Credit Union is stepping up in a big way for small businesses for Kings County. On Tuesday, Main Street Hanford announced that FAST Federal Credit Union will be donating $20,000 to those small businesses. The donation will mainly take place in the form of coupons.

5 Ways Small Businesses Can Weather The Pandemic Downturn

Forbes

Nearly every business around the world has been negatively impacted by the coronavirus pandemic—but perhaps no more so than small businesses. 

Trump’s economic comeback is becoming a slowdown and likely a stall-out

Politico

New jobless claims declined a bit last week after two weeks of increases but remain above 1 million per week. 

U.S. Stocks Up as Jobless Claims Edge Lower 

WSJ

The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits came in below expectations, but held at historically high levels.

Jobs:

Valley representatives urging Senate to continue providing emergency unemployment income

abc30

It’s emergency unemployment income more than 30 million Americans rely on, including Julie Bean of Clovis, who qualified after the pandemic prevented her from taking a job as an in-home care provider back in March.

See also:

●     Fewer unemployed Calif workers expect to regain their old jobs San Jose Mercury

●     Unemployment $200 bonus is still generous without discouraging people to go back to workUSA Today

●     US Jobs Report Jul. 2020: 1.76 Million Jobs Added, Unemployment Rate 10.2% Bloomberg

●     Unemployment filings ease in U.S. & Calif, but newly jobless could see lower paymentsSFChronicle

●     More Uncertainty Ahead for Calif’s UnemployedPPIC

●     1.2 million Americans sought unemployment aid last week amid resurgence of coronavirus abc30

●     Calif unemployment claims fall for second straight week San Jose Mercury

●     Many of Calif’s recent unemployment claims are people refiling after temporary jobs, study findsSFChronicle

●     U.S. Employers Added 1.8 Million Jobs in July, Unemployment Rate Fell to 10.2%WSJ

●     U.S. unemployment rate fell to 10.2 percent in July POLITICO

●     U.S. economy added 1.8 million jobs in July as it worked to recover from the coronavirus pandemic Washington Post

●     Hiring Stalled in U.S. With 1.8 Million Jobs Added in July Time

●     An Analysis of Unemployment Insurance Claims in Calif During the COVID-19 Pandemic CA Policy Lab

Unemployment insurance Extended Benefits will lapse too soon without policy changes

Brookings

America’s unemployment insurance system contains a program called Extended Benefits which lengthens benefits for 6-20 additional weeks based on certain economic indicators. The COVID-19 economic crisis triggered the program, but there is a risk that it could turn off long before the labor market has recovered. Lauren Bauer, Wendy Edelberg, and Jana Parsons explain how policymakers can ensure that the program provides continued support to those in need.

EDUCATION

K-12:

Survey shows teachers aren’t ready to go back

Visalia Times Delta

Despite long hours of trying to understand the concepts of iReady, ZoomPro and Schoology, nearly 80% of teachers aren’t ready for fall semester.

See also:

●     Poll finds parents, fearing covid, prefer mix of online and in-person school  Washington Post

Central Unified School District providing technology for families for distance learning

abc30

Central Unified began handing out laptops and wireless hot spots to every student Wednesday. In preparation for the upcoming school year, Central Unified families began lining up at El Capitan Middle School early to receive technology that will help when online classes begin later this month.

Teachers show can-do attitudes at elementary site as Oakdale kicks off distance learning

Modesto Bee

As she worked from her desk in her empty classroom at Fair Oaks Elementary School on Thursday morning, fifth-grade teacher Mary White had to put on her IT-troubleshooter hat a number of times.

Some Kern schools seek waivers to resume in-class instruction

Bakersfield califn

A handful of Kern County elementary schools have expressed interest in a waiver program to allow on-site instruction as the upcoming school year gets underway, but the chances of approval are slim since local COVID-19 cases are among the highest in the state right now, according to county health officials. 

Rural Calif schools prepare for possible in-person teaching

CALmatters

While many school districts in the state’s more populous areas have been essentially forced to start the school year teaching remotely, more sparsely populated have options.

The terrible trade-off of keeping schools closed

AEI / The Week

Keeping kids out of school this year would be a different sort of economic catastrophe from — but one that is every bit as serious as — the deep recession from which we are currently recovering.

Why special education funding will be more equitable under new state law

EdSource

Calif’s method of funding special education will become streamlined and a little more equitable, thanks to a provision in the recently passed state budget.

Assessments Will Likely Show COVID-19-Related Learning Loss: Then What? –

Ed Note

Over the last several months, researchers and organizations have tried to quantify the potential learning loss as a result of the closures related to COVID-19. Some suggest students may be 30% to 50% behind where they would have been, had schools remained open as usual. More than 75% of school principals expect student achievement to be lower than it was in fall 2019. Indeed, RAND Corp’s educator survey showed nearly half of teachers focused their distance learning time primarily on reviewing prior content. Only 12% reported covering all or nearly all the curriculum they would have had school buildings not closed.

Schools Face Billions in Bills to Shield U.S. Kids from Pandemic

Bloomberg

U.S. public schools are stockpiling masks, hand sanitizer and plexiglass shields, racking up bills that could top $100 billion to protect children who study in actual classrooms this fall or help them learn from home.

Eugene Robinson: Trump doesn’t seem to understand that opening schools would make a bad situation worse

Washington Post

Is it possible that President Trump could do a worse job handling the covid-19 pandemic, causing even more needless illness and death? I fear we’re about to find out.

Commentary: Alternative schools provide lessons on reaching disconnected students for distance learning

CalMatters

Policymakers should look at how alternative schools, which specialize in serving disconnected students, can be models with valuable lessons.

Higher Ed:

Cal Poly COVID-19 cases increase as university seeks state guidance for fall term

Fresno Bee

A total of 19 students, staff or faculty at Cal Poly have tested positive for COVID-19 since March, according to the San Luis Obispo university’s coronavirus information website. Of those, 14 are students and five are employees, according to the university’s media relations director, Matt Lazier.

See also:

·       Calif colleges scramble to open lacking state rules LA Times

Opinion: Online-only Stan State shouldn’t charge full student fees during COVID

Modesto Bee

A student’s petition to lower fees at COVID-closed Stanislaus State University ended up being among the most successful of its kind in the United States. Not successful in persuading university officials to actually charge less money — that was never going to happen.

ENVIRONMENT/ENERGY

Environment:

Next virus pandemic is not far away — unless humans change the way they live

LA Times

In a broken world struggling to recover from the coronavirus, a new pandemic threatens to destroy the remnants of mankind. That is the storyline of “COVID-21: Lethal Virus,” a TV movie in post-production that imagines another coronavirus will emerge next year.

Harris, Ocasio-Cortez press environmental justice in new legislation

POLITICO

The Climate Equity Act lands the same day that former Vice President Joe Biden said Harris is “very much in contention” to be his running mate. And it comes just weeks after a task force on climate change co-chaired by Ocasio-Cortez issued a host of proposals that have been credited with pushing Biden to back more aggressive goals like achieving net-zero emissions for the U.S. electricity sector by 2035.

Why Sprawl Could Be The Next Big Climate Change Battle

NPR

President Trump is attacking Democrats on a new front: suburbia.

In Colorado’s climate change hot spot, the West’s water is evaporating 

Washington Post

On New Year’s Day in 2018, Paul Kehmeier and his father drove up Grand Mesa until they got to the county line, 10,000 feet above sea level. Instead of the three to five feet of snow that should have been on the ground, there wasn’t enough of a dusting to even cover the grass.

Opinion: You can put a price tag on environmental & economic returns from protecting rangeland

CalMatters

From parks to rangeland, Calif’s open spaces provide a variety of benefits that it’s next to impossible to put a price tag on – until now.

Energy:

Oil buffer-zone bill suffers setback during public hearing supporters call unfair

Bakersfield Calif.

A bill proposing to establish buffer zones between oil wells and public facilities in Calif, potentially costing Kern’s economy billions of dollars, was narrowly defeated in Sacramento on Wednesday — but not before sparking frustration among supporters who later said the virtual public hearing preceding the vote was flawed and unfair.

SoCalGas sues Calif Energy Commission to block ‘anti-natural gas policy’

S&P Global

Southern calif Gas Co. sued the Golden State’s top energy policy and planning agency in a bid to prevent it from carrying out a policy that would limit natural gas use and promote building electrification.

HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES

Health:

Kern Public Health reports 291 new COVID-19 cases Thursday

Bakersfield califn

The Kern County Public Health Services Department reported 291 new COVID-19 cases Thursday morning. The health department has reported 21,734 cases since the first was announced March 13. There have been 152 local COVID-19 fatalities during that time, according to county data.

See Also:

●     COVID-19: It’s all bad news in Tulare County as cases continue to riseVisalia Times Delta

Calif’s Latinos, Black people feel effects of pandemic most acutely, poll finds

LA Times

Black people and Latinos are far more likely than white people in LA and statewide to report that the coronavirus has threatened their health, their jobs and their finances, a new poll shows — underscoring the degree to which the pandemic has widened existing racial and class inequities.

FDA Adviser: Not Realistic To Expect A COVID-19 Vaccine In 2020

VPR
In June, the Trump administration introduced Operation Warp Speed, an initiative to deliver 300 million doses of an effective COVID-19 vaccine by January 2021. On Fox & Friends Wednesday morning, President Trump said the effort to accelerate the development, manufacturing and distribution of a vaccine for COVID-19 is making good progress.

See also:

●     What to Know About Leading Coronavirus Vaccine Candidates  US News

Fact Check: Trump Wrong.  Children are Not “almost immune from this disease” 

PolitiFact

As millions of parents across the United States agonize over whether their children should return to school, Pres Trump has continued to downplay the chances that children will catch COVID-19.

Trump Holds Prescription Drug-Pricing Order In Search Of Deal

NPR

Two weeks after President Trump signed an executive order “Lowering Drug Prices By Putting America First,” the White House still hasn’t released the text of the order. The unorthodox move is apparently a leverage play, an attempt to squeeze drug companies into offering concessions, but so far there’s little indication Trump is getting the deal he was after.

The next virus pandemic is not far away — unless humans change the way they live

LA Times

In a broken world struggling to recover from the coronavirus, a new pandemic threatens to destroy the remnants of mankind. That is the storyline of “COVID-21: Lethal Virus,” a TV movie in post-production that imagines another coronavirus will emerge next year.

Human Services:

Nurses demand better working conditions in Modesto

Modesto Bee

On Wednesday, nurses at two medical centers, Doctors of Modesto and Emanuel in Turlock, held protests demanding proper masks and protective equipment and reversal of a waiver that has given hospitals flexibility on nurse-to-patient ratios.

Community Medical Centers employee assistance fund gets big boost

Business Journal

The Employee Assistance Program at Community Medical Centers received a significant boost with the announcement Thursday of a $500,000 matching gift and $50,000 grant.

Bakersfield ICU beds exceed capacity as reinforcements arrive to assist in fight against COVID-19 

Bakersfield Califn.

Intensive care unit beds in local hospitals are over capacity, and help is officially here to assist those facilities experiencing the rush of patients desperately needing attention in their fight against COVID-19.

See also:

·       BC nursing students partner with Calif Medical Association to distribute PPE Bakersfield califn

‘Broken’ coronavirus tracking system leaves Calif in the dark: ‘We have no idea’

LA Times

The breakdown in Calif’s coronavirus test reporting system is disrupting pandemic response efforts across the state, leaving local officials in the dark about the spread of COVID-19 and blocking the ability of counties to get restrictions lifted until the the system is fixed.

See Also:

●     Calif’s computer glitch causing widespread confusion for counties, business and schools SF Chronicle

●     United Health Centers offering no-cost COVID-19 testing in FresnoFresno Bee

●     Free COVID-19 testing available at Manchester Center on Fridayabc30

●     Opinion: ‘It’s always good to check.’ No-cost COVID-19 testing arrives in Fresno neighborhoods Fresno Bee

●     Opinion: Test Every American for Covid-19  WSJ

‘A harrowing black hole of information’: Some nursing homes leave families in the dark about coronavirus

SF Chronicle

The state requires nursing homes and assisted living facilities to notify family members immediately after a positive test anywhere in the facility. But families and nursing home experts say that doesn’t always happen.

Auditor slams state mental-health system, revives Laura’s Law

Capitol Weekly

A massive and highly critical state auditor’s report has given new life to legislation to deal with Calif’s notoriously troubled mental-health system. The shift comes as state lawmakers, convening amid the COVID-19 pandemic, face hundreds of bills in the closing days of the legislative session. 

Coronavirus Threatens to Deepen Racial Disparities in Dental Health

US News

A virus that’s hit African Americans and Latinos hard is also highlighting racial disparities in oral health.

Commentary: Legislature should remove restrictions on nurse practitioners

CalMatters

Assembly Bill 890 will remove restrictions on patient access to nurse practitioners and help fill Calif’s primary care provider gap.

Commentary: Rx for health care inequities: More health professionals of color 

CalMatters

Mistrust in the health care system by people of color persists, which is why we need more doctors and nurses who look like the people they’re treating.

IMMIGRATION

Amid coronavirus outbreak at Bakersfield immigration facility, emails show ICE deliberately limited testing

LA Times

Last month, as the coronavirus spread through federal immigration detention centers around the country, officials at the Mesa Verde facility in Bakersfield rejected a suggestion to test all detainees there because it would be difficult to quarantine those who tested positive, the officials said.

See Also:

●     Judge orders Bakersfield immigration holding facility to test all detainees weeklySFChronicle

Ending ‘Asylum As We Know It’: Using Pandemic To Expel Migrants, Children At Border

When a Salvadoran woman grabbed her 4-year-old daughter and fled their home country in February, the coronavirus wasn’t yet a global pandemic. By the time they reached the U.S.-Mexico border a month later, that had changed. She crossed the Rio Grande, planning to ask for asylum. But Border Patrol agents took her and her daughter right back to Mexico, despite her plea

LAND USE/HOUSING

Land Use:

Modesto is close to enacting downtown vision with housing, walkable spaces and more

Modesto Bee

Modesto’s downtown will have a lot more places to live, along with businesses and green spaces, under a plan endorsed by the city’s Planning Commission. The commission voted unanimously Monday to recommend approval of the plan by the Modesto City Council. That could happen Tuesday, Aug. 11.

Housing:

‘Restricted To Persons Of The Caucasian Race Forever’: Racist Language In Calif Property Records Could Finally Be Erased

Capital Public Radio

When Angie Gould and Paul Hunt bought a house in South Land Park last year, they didn’t expect their beautiful new home would hold a dark secret tied to America’s history of racist housing policies. 

As economy tanks, eviction moratoriums expire

PEW

Eviction protections have expired in 24 states.

See also:

●     Rural tenants, already delaying rent, face pinch without reliefRoll Call

PUBLIC FINANCES

Calif Democrats divided over COVID-19 stimulus, millionaire tax to fund economic recovery

CalMatters

They show up at county meetings. They post calls to action on Instagram. In the age of coronavirus, they organize car caravans and Facebook town halls. For Crisantema Gallardo, the 29-year-old director of Central Valley youth organizing group 99Rootz, years of groundwork are coming to a head with a high-stakes battle over how to dig Calif out of a sudden $54 billion deficit.

See also:

●     Gov. Gavin Newsom: Calif on “the edge of a cliff” CALmatters

We heard from 600 Calif state workers in a coronavirus survey. Here are their concerns

Fresno Bee

Six hundred people responded to a survey The Sac Bee posted online two weeks ago asking Calif state workers how their departments and their unions are doing during the coronavirus.

CalPERS chief’s abrupt resignation preceded by conflict of interest questions

Sac Bee

CalPERS announced his departure well after business hours on Wednesday.

TRANSPORTATION

An Emergency Discussion to Save Public Transit

Spur

Calif is facing a $3.1 billion budget deficit for its public transit agencies through 2021. To ensure that the state can continue to sustain frequent, reliable service and protect the health and safety of both its transit riders and workers, it is imperative that Congress includes a combined $32 billion in federal transit funding as part of its upcoming stimulus package.

Commentary: High speed rail became a boondoggle when politicians changed it to low speed rail

CALmatters

High speed rail requires a dedicated track and electrification, and almost a decade ago legislators prohibited a dedicated track in the Bay Area and non-electrified track in other areas.

WATER

Another Washington dam removal – and 37 more miles of salmon habitat restored

Sac Bee

Washington’s dam-busting summer is still rolling, with two more dams coming down on the Pilchuck River, opening 37 miles of habitat to salmon for the first time in more than a century.

Validation Action Filed Regarding Financing of Proposed Delta Conveyance Project

Department of Water Resources 

The Calif Department of Water Resources (DWR) filed a “validation action” with the Sacramento County Superior Court regarding DWR’s authority to, among other things, issue revenue bonds to finance the planning, design, construction and other capital costs of the proposed Delta Conveyance Project. 

“Xtra”

Coronavirus shut us down again, but Northern Calif casinos remain open. Are they safe?

Modesto Bee

The announcement came with great fanfare – and caution: Cache Creek Casino Resort in the Yolo County town of Brooks was open for business. Months earlier, in March, the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation and tribes across Calif closed their gaming floors as part of an unprecedented statewide shutdown to slow the spread of the coronavirus.