POLICY & POLITICS
North SJ Valley:
COVID Update:
● Stanislaus County deaths grow at higher rate than December Modesto Bee
● Post-Christmas numbers continue rise in Stanislaus County Modesto Bee
● Infection rates continue to soar in Stanislaus County Modesto Bee
● COVID-19 vaccinations expanded Turlock Journal
● Stanislaus County rolls out coronavirus vaccine, but distribution hits a snag Modesto Bee
Merced County launches ‘Support our Restaurants’ campaign to help local eateries
Merced Sun-Star
Merced County and its six cities are launching a “Support our Restaurants” campaign in an effort to help local restaurants during the COVID-19 pandemic. The goal of the campaign is to use social media to promote local restaurants that have been impacted by the State’s COVID-19 restrictions regarding on-site dining.
State Sen Caballero and Borgeas bill aims to keep California working
Turlock Journal
A small business relief package spearheaded by local legislators has gained significant momentum in recent weeks, with over one-third of the entire California Legislature now supporting the measure.
Central SJ Valley:
Fresno County lacking providers to administer COVID-19 vaccine, health officials say
Fresno Bee
Fresno County health officials say they are looking for more health providers to apply to administer the COVID-19 vaccine in preparation of inoculating the masses. There are 48 providers who have already signed up to administer the shots in Fresno County, according to Joe Prado, the county’s community health division manager.
See also:
● When can you get the COVID-19 vaccine? Fresno County to publish detailed list soon abc30
● 'Pharmacy deserts' could complicate Valley access to COVID vaccine abc30
● Wondering when you'll get the COVID-19 vaccine? Here's how and when Tulare County plans to inoculate Visalia Times Delta
● Three Weeks In, Valley's Vaccine Distribution Falls Short Of Goals—COVID-19 Update For Jan. 8, 2021 VPR
● More than 2,000 new COVID-19 cases in Valley following California’s deadliest pandemic day Fresno Bee
● Active cases, deaths continue to rise Porterville Recorder
● COVID-19 update: Tulare County metrics get worse as infections, deaths continue to skyrocket Visalia Times Delta
Petition seeks removal of Fresno County school board member who was at Capitol insurrection
Fresno Bee
Hundreds have signed an online petition calling for the removal of James Hoak as a Sierra Unified School District board member because of his participation in the U.S. Capitol insurrection.
See also:
● Warszawski: Fresno County schools trustee who took part in Capitol raid must resign immediately Fresno Bee
Ray Appleton says he’ll be off radio for weeks for saying some media should be ‘hanged’
Fresno Bee
Fresno talk radio host Ray Appleton said early Sunday that his suspension from KMJ will be for a “few weeks without pay” following his on-air comments Thursday that some members of the media should be “hanged.”
See Also:
● Ray Appleton suspended for saying editors should be ‘hanged,’ says parent company of KMJ Fresno Bee
● KMJ ad dollars from city of Fresno at risk after host says editors should be ‘hanged’ Fresno Bee
Fresno mayor, City Council drop fight against Measure P, in victory for parks advocates
Fresno Bee
The majority of the Fresno City Council on Thursday voted to drop the city’s protestations of Measure P, a tax for parks that has been working its way through the courts.
Tackling Homelessness And Cleaning Up City Among Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer’s First Priorities
VPR
After a ceremonial swearing-in at City Hall, Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer laid out his first priorities in office. He said his first order of business is an initiative to house those experiencing homelessness.
Group gathers outside Fresno's historic Tower Theatre to oppose purchase by church
Fresno Bee
Save The Tower, a Facebook group created to protest Adventure Church from buying the Tower Theatre, assembled across from the church Sunday morning, Jan. 10, 2021 to voice its opposition.
Dr. Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval proud to serve as interim Fresno State president
Fresno State Campus News
Dr. Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval speaks several languages, plays the piano, zooms across campus on a scooter, and has a long list of other skills he wants to learn or improve on such as engraving and calculus.
South SJ Valley:
COVID Update:
● Kern Public Health reports 957 new coronavirus cases Sunday Bakersfield Californian
● County expands COVID-19 vaccination eligibility to all of Phase 1a Bakersfield Californian
● COVID hits Kern County Fire Department hard as infections, injuries mount
Bakersfield Californian
Local lawmakers react to 2021-22 proposed state budget
Bakersfield Californian
Local lawmakers shared their perspective on Gov. Gavin Newsom’s 2021-22 proposed state budget, which was unveiled Friday.
As other counties call off homeless counts, Kern moves forward with new plan
Bakersfield Californian
Kern County appears as if it will be one of the only counties in Southern California to complete a count of its homeless population this year.
Bakersfield Planning Commission clears path for new veterans clinic
Bakersfield Californian
The Bakersfield Planning Commission has cleared the way for a long-awaited veterans clinic to be constructed on the northern edge of the city. Despite a relatively brief meeting Thursday, with little discussion on the topic, some unanswered questions remain about the outpatient clinic that has been delayed for years over disputes of the location and cost.
Local demand high for new, different round of PPP loans
Bakersfield Californian
Local small businesses are about to line up again for federal dollars to help them through the pandemic, and this time the emphasis is on companies that missed out before and those classified as disadvantaged, as well as micro-businesses, membership-based nonprofits and hospitality-type enterprises such as restaurants.
Bitwise contract stokes Bakersfield's tech, economic diversification hopes
Bakersfield Californian
Plans for building up Bakersfield's small computer software industry recently took a big step forward — despite the COVID-19 pandemic and in a way because of it — with the city's finalization of a $750,000 contract with Fresno-based tech hub Bitwise Industries.
ROBERT PRICE: The Trump train is off the rails and McCarthy is still aboard
Bakersfield Californian
Sixteen months ago, in this space, I urged Kevin McCarthy to begin pulling out of Donald Trump's orbit. The House minority leader from Bakersfield, I said, needed to disengage from the downward-draining whirlpool created by this utterly failed president before he’s sucked out to sea with Rudy Guiliani.
State:
California closes in on 30,000 deaths during pandemic
Fresno Bee
California is closing in on 30,000 deaths from the coronavirus pandemic as hospitals scramble to find beds for severely ill patients during a continuing spike in COVID-19 case numbers. The state reported 468 deaths on Sunday, a day after setting a record one-day total of 695, according to the Department of Public Health. California’s death toll since the start of the pandemic rose to 29,701.
See also:
● COVID dangers intensify: California now in ‘deep dark part of the tunnel,’ top health official says CalMatters
● California COVID-19 vaccine rollout hit with software system problems Los Angeles Times
● ’I don’t trust it’: These Californians hesitant to take COVID vaccine, despite surge Sacramento Bee
● ‘No One Knew the Plan’: States Struggle to Increase Vaccinations PEW
COVID-19 Relief, Housing, Wildfires: Here's What's In Gov. Gavin Newsom's 2021 Budget Proposal
Capital Public Radio
Gov. Gavin Newsom unveiled a $227.2 billion budget proposal Friday, kicking off a 6-month-long process to finalize a state budget for 2021-2022.
See also:
● Local lawmakers react to 2021-22 proposed state budget Bakersfield Californian
● Governor's proposed budget address COVID, schools Porterville Recorder
● Gavin Newsom’s $227 billion budget calls for new spending on schools, vaccines and stimulus Sacramento Bee
● Send money quickly to schools, businesses and the poor, Gavin Newsom urges returning lawmakers Sacramento Bee
● After a painful 2020, California’s next budget will have far more cash than anticipated Sacramento Bee
● Program to buy hotels for homeless people could get another influx of cash Los Angeles Times
● Better than ‘anyone could have imagined’: Inside Newsom’s optimistic, record-breaking budget proposal CalMatters
● In pandemic-era budget, Newsom tries to nestle friends and neutralize enemies CalMatters
● California Chief Justice Releases Statement on Governor's Budget Proposal California Courts Newsroom
● CA FWD Comments On Governor Newsom’s 2021-22 Budget Proposal CA FWD
● California expects record revenues in stunning Covid budget reversal Politico
● Pay cuts for California state workers could be lifted by July under Newsom proposal Sacramento Bee
● Walters: Newsom budget spends windfall on pandemic victims CalMatters
Gavin Newsom said he would punish counties for not enforcing COVID rules. Why hasn’t he?
Sacramento Bee
Gov. Gavin Newsom in July warned local officials they could lose out on $2.5 billion worth of state assistance if they didn’t enforce the state’s coronavirus orders.
California legislators will return to flurry of major pandemic response votes
San Francisco Chronicle
California legislators who return to work Monday will quickly be asked to vote on a flurry of high-profile spending measures to confront the worsening toll of the coronavirus pandemic.
See also:
· As COVID deaths surge, these California politicians gathered to call for reopenings Sacramento Bee
· Walters: How did California lose control of COVID-19? CalMatters
Schwarzenegger remembers post-Nazi Austria in a call for unity after Capitol riot
Sacramento Bee
Former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who was born into a post-war Austria reckoning with the fallout from Nazi control, delivered a warning to Americans on Sunday morning, comparing the riots at the U.S. Capitol this week to the rise of violent antisemitism in Europe and calling on Americans to unify behind President-elect Joe Biden.
Violent Breach In D.C. Raises Questions About Safety At California State Capitol
Capital Public Radio
Is the California State Capitol safe from potential rioters? Several law enforcement officials and lawmakers say they believe so.
Next secretary of state aims to teach Californians “how fragile the democracy is”
CalMatters
Weber’s appointment was not widely anticipated like Padilla’s. But her biography indicates life experience relevant to the job of California’s top election administrator. Voting, denied to the Webers in the South, became a precious, fiercely guarded and unfailingly exercised right for the whole family.
Federal:
COVID Update:
● U.S. surpasses 300,000 daily coronavirus cases, the second alarming record this week Washington Post
● Experts Say Worst May Still Be Ahead With Expected Holiday Covid-19 Surge Wall Street Journal
● U.S. Covid-19 Vaccination Plan Limits Speed of Rollout, Supply-Chain Experts Say Wall Street Journal
● How to increase vaccination and mask-wearing to defeat COVID-19 The Hill
Trump ‘a clear and present danger’ to US, must be removed
Fresno Bee
President Donald Trump must be removed from office as a threat to the nation’s safety, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said Sunday on ABC’s “This Week.” “Every minute and every hour that he is in office represents a clear and present danger, not just to the United States Congress but frankly to the country,” Ocasio-Cortez, a New York Democrat, said.
See also:
● Republican senators calls on Trump to resign as president faces possible 2nd impeachment abc30
● 'Threat to democracy': Democrats prepare Monday to begin impeachment of Trump over DC riots Visalia Times Delta
● Trumpism Suffers Untold Damage In Its Collision With The U.S. Capitol VPR
● House Democrats Weigh Impeachment As They Urge Trump's Removal VPR
● Congressman Josh Harder joins calls to remove Trump by ‘any legal means’ Modesto Bee
● ‘Resign and go away.’ Second GOP senator urges Trump to step down Los Angeles Times
● Pelosi: House to vote on impeachment if Pence does not act to remove Trump Los Angeles Times
● House Democrats introduce article of impeachment charging Trump with ‘incitement of insurrection’ Washington Post
● ‘I want him out:’ Murkowski becomes first Senate Republican to call for Trump to resign Washington Post
● Pelosi says House will move on impeaching Trump if Pence doesn’t meet a deadline to remove him Washington Post
● Republicans largely silent about consequences of deadly attack and Trump’s role in inciting it Washington Post
● A mob insurrection stoked by false claims of election fraud and promises of violent restoration Washington Post
● House to Move to Impeach Trump After Push to Have Pence Remove Him From Office Wall Street Journal
● McCarthy and Scalise face internal dissension after Capitol riot Politico
● Hillary Clinton: Trump should be impeached. But that alone won’t remove white supremacy from America. Washington Post
● Opinion: Impeachment Again? Wall Street Journal
● Opinion: No, Trump Isn’t Guilty of Incitement Wall Street Journal
Washington Post
Two days before Congress was set to formalize President-elect Joe Biden’s victory, Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund was growing increasingly worried about the size of the pro-Trump crowds expected to stream into Washington in protest.
See also:
● Capitol siege was planned online. Trump supporters now planning the next one. Washington Post
● Trump Won't Attend Inauguration; Congress Pushes Ahead With Capitol Ceremony VPR
● Twitter bans Trump’s account, citing risk of further violence Washington Post
● Twitter Bans President Trump’s Personal Account Permanently Wall Street Journal
Most Americans reject the attack on the Capitol — but millions empathize with the mob
Washington Post
But while most Americans also think that the actions of the mob were unacceptable, a large portion of the country at least empathizes with what occurred or, in some cases, actually approves.
See Also:
● In Capital, a G.O.P. Crisis. At the R.N.C. Meeting, a Trump Celebration. New York Times
● Opinion: Republicans Confront the Consequences of Their Doomsday Rhetoric The Atlantic
● Opinion: For some Republicans, it’s time to head for the exits Washington Post
● Fact Check: Biden is right that more than 60 of Trump’s election lawsuits lacked merit PolitiFact
Biden, a longtime ally of police, will enter White House pushing for reform
Washington Post
When he was elected vice president in 2008, Joe Biden called in police officials for meetings during the transition to let them know that he would be their liaison in the Obama administration.
See also:
● Police departments across the U.S. open probes into whether their own members took part in the Capitol riot Washington Post
● Biden vows to heal the nation’s racial wounds, but doing so will take more than words Washington Post
With Democrats in Control, Biden Moves to Advance Agenda
New York Times
By gaining the Senate, Democrats have the chance to move on large parts of the president-elect’s ambitions for the economy, health care, climate change and more.
See also
● Biden to Outline Covid-19 Relief Package Next Week Wall Street Journal
Other:
America is exceptional in the nature of its political divide
Pew Research Center
In his first speech as president-elect, Joe Biden made clear his intention to bridge the deep and bitter divisions in American society. He pledged to look beyond red and blue and to discard the harsh rhetoric that characterizes our political debates.
Boren: My media colleagues face unprecedented threats in the Trump era. It’s time it stops
Fresno Bee
As a veteran journalist who started my career when Richard Nixon was president, I can tell you that there has always been an uneasy relationship between the news media and the people they cover. Over the years, many tried to get me fired when they didn’t like stories that I wrote.
Commentary: How disinformation evolved in 2020
Brookings
In 2019, and again in 2020, Facebook removed covert social media influence operations that targeted Libya and were linked to the Russian businessman Yevgeny Prigozhin.
Opinion: The Electoral College Saved the Election
Wall Street Journal
In 2020, when many hallowed American institutions submitted to street demonstrations and violence, the Electoral College proved a steadfast guardian of democracy. It can’t solve our problems on its own, but has given us a measure of stability to try for ourselves.
AGRICULTURE/FOOD
Local health officials setting aside COVID vaccines for agriculture and food industry employees
abc30
Fresno County Health officials say they're setting aside 3,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine for agriculture and food industry employees -- who are apart of tier 1B. "We are already looking ahead to the future knowing that we have many more tiers to get through," says Fresno County Interim Health Officer Dr. Rais Vohra.
Local school districts continue to give out free meals to students
abc30
Schools across Central California have been working throughout the pandemic to ensure no student goes hungry. Even during a normal school year, the demand for free meals is high.
Will COVID Spur California To Ease Food Stamp Applications?
Capital Public Radio
A new bill could make it easier for seniors and people with disabilities to apply for CalFresh, California’s version of food stamps, and allow people to enroll entirely over the phone by 2024.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE/FIRE/PUBLIC SAFETY
Crime:
Six inmates escape from Merced County Jail
abc30
The Merced County Sheriff's Office says six inmates have escaped from the Merced County Jail. Authorities say just before midnight on Saturday they noticed the inmates were missing.
See also:
● Hunt on for six inmates who escaped from Merced County Jail Modesto Bee
● Six inmates on the loose after using a homemade rope to escape Merced County jail Los Angeles Times
The Capitol mob: a raging collection of grievances and disillusionment
Washington Post
The 36-year-old West Texas florist and self-described “conservative die hard patriot” always took to Facebook when she had something to say. So just hours after Jenny Cudd and scores of fellow Trump supporters swarmed the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday during a violent insurrection, she launched a live stream with a Trump flag draped over her shoulders and boasted, “We did break down … Nancy Pelosi’s office door.”
Public Safety:
Was it ‘gross negligence?’ 25% of inmates at this San Joaquin Valley prison had COVID-19
Fresno Bee
December was a disastrous pandemic month for inmates in California’s largest women’s prison, with nearly a quarter of all inmates getting infected from COVID-19 in the last two weeks alone.
New Fresno police chief focused on community trust and safety
abc30
"In my experience the higher you go, the smaller you feel. You feel this small because you feel the pressure of the responsibility and the people's lives affected by your decision, and that's something I take very seriously."
See also:
Fire:
Newsom, task force propose plan to address wildfires
Porterville Recorder
The $227 billion budget Governor Gavin Newsom proposed on Friday and his Forest Management Task Force has provided a strategy to combat wildfires many have been suggesting for a long-time: A combination of prescribed burning and forest thinning.
COVID hits Kern County Fire Department hard as infections, injuries mount
Bakersfield Californian
The coronavirus pandemic has tested the limits of the Kern County Fire Department, as scores of employees have come down with the virus. Already understaffed and strained from a “year round” fire season, the cash-strapped department is struggling to maintain operations through the latest COVID-19 surge.
A Dry Winter In California Could Lead To Worse Than Average Wildfire Season, Experts Warn
Capital Public Radio
Very little rain and snow are expected across California over the next few weeks, and what the clouds have dropped in the Sierra Nevada so far is about half of average for this time of year.
ECONOMY/JOBS
Economy:
Local demand high for new, different round of PPP loans
Bakersfield Californian
Local small businesses are about to line up again for federal dollars to help them through the pandemic, and this time the emphasis is on companies that missed out before and those classified as disadvantaged, as well as micro-businesses, membership-based nonprofits and hospitality-type enterprises such as restaurants.
Gavin Newsom’s new budget proposal.
See also:
● A new round of PPP funds will start Monday, aimed at the smallest businesses first Los Angeles Times
● New PPP lending can begin Money, but there’s a catch Business Journal
● Covid-19 Small-Business Loan Program PPP to Reopen Jan. 11 Wall Street Journal
Bitwise contract stokes Bakersfield's tech, economic diversification hopes
Bakersfield Californian
Plans for building up Bakersfield's small computer software industry recently took a big step forward — despite the COVID-19 pandemic and in a way because of it — with the city's finalization of a $750,000 contract with Fresno-based tech hub Bitwise Industries.
Newsom’s budget offers tax breaks to businesses, job training to spur California economy
Sacramento Bee
Californians struggling to get back to work during the coronavirus pandemic could get help from more than a billion dollars earmarked for job creation and workforce training in Gov.
Usage-based broadband tariffs: Closing digital divides with pricing competition
AEI
Usage-based pricing simply reflects a rational strategy for spreading a company’s costs fairly across its heterogeneous consumer base.
Jobs:
Unemployed Californians to get extra $300 weekly from COVID stimulus. What you need to know
Fresno Bee
Millions of Californians are due to get $300 a week added to their weekly unemployment payments — but some will get the extra benefit sooner than others. There’s good news for almost everyone out of work. The extra payments, part of COVID economic relief legislation signed into law by President Donald Trump last month, will continue for most people through the week ending March 13.
‘It’s their lives’: California’s grocery workers navigate COVID outbreaks, fears
Fresno Bee
More than 2.5 million people have been infected with coronavirus in California, the latest epicenter of an unceasing pandemic. In Southern California, a person dies of COVID-19 roughly every 8 minutes in Los Angeles County where overrun county hospitals are considering rationing medical care after an after-holiday surge in new cases.
Pandemic Pricetag: U.S. Employers Cut 140,000 Jobs In December
VPR
U.S. employers cut 140,000 jobs in December as the runaway coronavirus pandemic continued to weigh on the U.S. labor market.It was the first monthly job loss in eight months. The unemployment rate held steady at 6.7%.
See Also:
● US loses 140,000 jobs, first monthly drop since spring Business Journal
● Once again, job losses fall unequally across the US economy Fresno Bee
This Could Be the Best Year on Record for Job Growth
Wall Street Journal
The U.S. economy is poised to add more jobs this year than any other on records dating back to 1939—though the expected gain is unlikely to fully replace losses last spring, when the coronavirus pandemic first took hold.
See Also:
● The Lockdown Jobs Slump Wall Street Journal
Hotel Workers Renew Push For Recall Rights, Job Protections
Capital Public Radio
Jhonae Mazique doesn’t feel like the person she was before the pandemic. The coronavirus stripped the 25-year-old of her job as a reservationist at the Harbor Court Hotel in San Francisco and sent her couch surfing with friends.
See also:
● Rethinking social insurance: Policies to protect workers and families Brookings
EDUCATION
K-12:
Clovis schools delay reopening as Fresno seeks more vaccine help
Fresno Bee
Amid the national upheaval this week that included an insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, Fresno County, and the central San Joaquin Valley continued to struggle with managing its coronavirus surge.
See also:
● In-person classes for Clovis Unified secondary students pushed back again abc30
● Tulare schools face reopening challenges amid a changing in-person waiver process Visalia Times Delta
Higher Ed:
Dr. Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval proud to serve as interim Fresno State president
Fresno State Campus News
Dr. Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval speaks several languages, plays the piano, zooms across campus on a scooter, and has a long list of other skills he wants to learn or improve on such as engraving and calculus.
After DOJ warning, NCAA to delay vote on compensation rules
Modesto Bee
The NCAA is set to delay a potential landmark vote on legislation that would permit college athletes to be compensated for their fame for the first time after the association received a warning from the Department of Justice about potential antitrust violations.
ENVIRONMENT/ENERGY
Environment:
Trump administration pollution rule strikes final blow against environment
The Guardian
The Environmental Protection Agency has completed one of its last major rollbacks under the Trump administration, changing how it considers evidence of harm from pollutants in a way that opponents say could cripple future public-health regulation.
Energy:
Newsom's budget takes hits from both sides of oil debate
Bakersfield Californian
Climate change priorities spelled out in Gov. Gavin Newsom's new budget plan have drawn criticism he's still not doing enough — and conversely, that he's again doing too much — to restrain California oil production.
Why the United States should compete with China on global clean energy finance
Brookings
Facing the rapid global expansion of China’s energy finance, the United States should compete with China by offering affordable finance for global clean energy development (instead of fossil fuels).
HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES
Health:
California closes in on 30,000 deaths during pandemic
Fresno Bee
California is closing in on 30,000 deaths from the coronavirus pandemic as hospitals scramble to find beds for severely ill patients during a continuing spike in COVID-19 case numbers. The state reported 468 deaths on Sunday, a day after setting a record one-day total of 695, according to the Department of Public Health. California’s death toll since the start of the pandemic rose to 29,701.
See also:
● More than 2,000 new COVID-19 cases in Valley following California’s deadliest pandemic day Fresno Bee
● Active cases, deaths continue to rise Porterville Recorder
● COVID-19 update: Tulare County metrics get worse as infections, deaths continue to skyrocket Visalia Times Delta
● Kern Public Health reports 957 new coronavirus cases Sunday Bakersfield Californian
● Stanislaus County deaths grow at higher rate than December Modesto Bee
● Post-Christmas numbers continue rise in Stanislaus County Modesto Bee
● Infection rates continue to soar in Stanislaus County Modesto Bee
● COVID dangers intensify: California now in ‘deep dark part of the tunnel,’ top health official says CalMatters
● U.S. surpasses 300,000 daily coronavirus cases, the second alarming record this week Washington Post
● Experts Say Worst May Still Be Ahead With Expected Holiday Covid-19 Surge Wall Street Journal
Coronavirus weekly-need-to-know: Flu season, lung damage, loss of smell & more
Fresno Bee
More than 21.9 million people in the United States have tested positive for the coronavirus as of Saturday, Jan. 9, according to Johns Hopkins University. That includes more than 370,000 people who have died nationwide.
Even more contagious? Here’s what you need to know about the mutating virus now in California
CalMatters
As California continues to ride its worst wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, public health officials have more unsettling news: Six cases of a worrisome, potentially more infectious new coronavirus variant have been detected in California.
Human Services:
Fresno County lacking providers to administer COVID-19 vaccine, health officials say
Fresno Bee
Fresno County health officials say they are looking for more health providers to apply to administer the COVID-19 vaccine in preparation of inoculating the masses. There are 48 providers who have already signed up to administer the shots in Fresno County, according to Joe Prado, the county’s community health division manager.
See also:
● When can you get the COVID-19 vaccine? Fresno County to publish detailed list soon abc30
● 'Pharmacy deserts' could complicate Valley access to COVID vaccine abc30
● Wondering when you'll get the COVID-19 vaccine? Here's how and when Tulare County plans to inoculate Visalia Times Delta
● Three Weeks In, Valley's Vaccine Distribution Falls Short Of Goals—COVID-19 Update For Jan. 8, 2021 VPR
● COVID-19 vaccinations expanded Turlock Journal
● Stanislaus County rolls out coronavirus vaccine, but distribution hits a snag Modesto Bee
● County expands COVID-19 vaccination eligibility to all of Phase 1a Bakersfield Californian
● ’I don’t trust it’: These Californians hesitant to take COVID vaccine, despite surge Sacramento Bee
● ‘No One Knew the Plan’: States Struggle to Increase Vaccinations PEW
● How to increase vaccination and mask-wearing to defeat COVID-19 The Hill
● U.S. Covid-19 Vaccination Plan Limits Speed of Rollout, Supply-Chain Experts Say Wall Street Journal
● California COVID-19 vaccine rollout hit with software system problems Los Angeles Times
Hospital leaders ask Newsom to suspend some regulations as COVID patients flood facilities
Fresno Bee
Overwhelmed by COVID-19 patients pouring into medical facilities, hospital leaders urged California Gov. Gavin Newsom to temporarily suspend some regulatory requirements so that doctors and nurses “can focus on patient care and not on paperwork.”
See also:
● Battered by COVID surge, hospitals are admitting patients faster than they can discharge them Los Angeles Times
● ‘A mass fatality event’: California struggles with backlog of bodies of COVID-19 victims Los Angeles Times
● Hospitals seek relaxed rules for nursing, patient discharge CalMatters
● California is desperate, but volunteer health corps dwindles Associated Press
Commentary: Rethinking social insurance: Policies to protect workers and families
Brookings
For nearly a century, American households have relied on social insurance programs to bolster financial resources when workers experience an unexpected loss of income or when resources are insufficient to meet basic needs. Sometimes these programs offer general cash benefits, such as unemployment insurance, which provides financial support for the unemployed.
IMMIGRATION
Biden Says He’ll Introduce Immigration Bill ‘Immediately’
Bloomberg
President-elect Joe Biden says he’ll introduce immigration legislation “immediately” after taking office later this month, and that his Justice Department will investigate the Trump administration’s separation of migrant children from their parents.
LAND USE/HOUSING
Land Use:
Group gathers outside Fresno's historic Tower Theatre to oppose purchase by church
Fresno Bee
Save The Tower, a Facebook group created to protest Adventure Church from buying the Tower Theatre, assembled across from the church Sunday morning, Jan. 10, 2021 to voice its opposition.
Bakersfield Planning Commission clears path for new veterans clinic
Bakersfield Californian
The Bakersfield Planning Commission has cleared the way for a long-awaited veterans clinic to be constructed on the northern edge of the city. Despite a relatively brief meeting Thursday, with little discussion on the topic, some unanswered questions remain about the outpatient clinic that has been delayed for years over disputes of the location and cost.
Housing:
As other counties call off homeless counts, Kern moves forward with new plan
Bakersfield Californian
Kern County appears as if it will be one of the only counties in Southern California to complete a count of its homeless population this year. Many counties, such as Los Angeles and Orange counties, have asked the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for an exemption from the federally mandated survey.
Virus, housing issues await returning California lawmakers
Fresno Bee
Mending California's coronavirus-ravaged economy and fixing a state unemployment agency that is at the center of a titanic fraud case that could exceed $2 billion are at the top of the to-do list when lawmakers resume their session on Monday.
Sacramento has a plan to address its housing crisis. Some neighborhoods are fighting it
Sacramento Bee
Maggie Coulter moved to Sacramento for a state job in 1981 and immediately knew she didn’t want to live in midtown or downtown. But she also didn’t want to move out to the suburbs.
PUBLIC FINANCES
How Californians plan to spend $600 stimulus checks — some need the money, some can share it
Fresno Bee
For Mary Bane and her husband in Sacramento, $1,200 will help the couple in their mid-70s get groceries delivered, avoiding trips to stores where they could contact the coronavirus.
California has so much money it could send some back to taxpayers, Gavin Newsom says
Sacramento Bee
California has so much money it might have to give some back to taxpayers. The state is on pace to hit a spending cap voters adopted in 1979 when state politics were dominated by a taxpayer revolt, Gov. Gavin Newsom said Friday as he unveiled his $227 billion 2021-22 spending plan.
Why is state and local employment falling faster than revenues?
Brookings
State and local governments have cut employment by about 7%—or roughly 1.3 million jobs—since the beginning of the pandemic, which some ascribe to dire fiscal conditions. Cutbacks by state and local governments were a significant restraint on the economy in the slow recovery from the Great Recession.
TRANSPORTATION
Average US price of gas up 9 cents a gallon to $2.35
Fresno Bee
The average U.S. price of regular-grade gasoline jumped 9 cents a gallon over the past three weeks to $2.35. Industry analyst Trilby Lundberg of the Lundberg Survey said Sunday that a rise in crude oil prices spurred the increase.
What air travel has in store for us in 2021
Los Angeles Times
Although many of us are still in lockdown following stay-at-home guidelines, let’s look ahead to see what air travel, that magical carpet ride, has in store for us as the year begins.
Boeing To Pay $2.5 Billion Settlement Over Deadly 737 Max Crashes
VPR
Boeing will pay more than $2.5 billion to settle a criminal charge related to the two 737 Max plane crashes in 2018 and 2019 that killed 346 people.
WATER
Water content of California's early winter snowpack lagging
KSBY
The amount of water in California’s mountain snowpack is only about half of average for early winter. The state Department of Water Resources says automated measurements on 260 snow courses statewide Wednesday found the snow-water content to be 52% of average to date.
“Xtra”
From near death to nirvana on two wheels, cancer survivor rides for life
Bakersfield Californian
The story is that Jim Lackey racked up more than 7,000 miles last year on his bicycle, a common mechanical vehicle that he and his wife, Frankie, believe played a major role in saving his life — and giving him a life worth saving.
Sacramento Bee
Bocca Taqueria in Fresno’s Tower District may have closed, but a new restaurant has opened in its place. Aroma’s is a fusion restaurant carrying a little bit of everything: breakfast, Mexican, Italian, American and Asian.