POLICY & POLITICS
North SJ Valley:
Coronavirus update: Stanislaus deaths hit 77. At-risk kids raise concern
Modesto Bee
Stanislaus County announced Wednesday that four more residents have died from the virus, bringing the total to 77. Details on the most recent deaths were not available. The last nine days have brought 26 deaths, the county’s online update said.
Stanislaus Co coronavirus investigators need state help, health officer says
Modesto Bee
The Stanislaus County Health Agency is still reporting backlogs of coronavirus data as investigators struggle to call all the people who test positive.vEven with about 20 state contact tracers helping the county, Public Health Officer Dr. Julie Vaishampayan on Wednesday said investigators need more help in determining where people with COVID-19 have been and whom they have seen.
Central SJ Valley:
Fresno Co adds almost 500 new cases on record-setting day for state COVID-19 tally
Fresno Bee
Fresno County added 442 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, reaching a total of 11,412 infections since the start of the pandemic, according to numbers reported by the state. Wednesday was at least the fifth-straight day Fresno County reported more than 300 cases.
See Also:
● COVID-19 update: Tulare County case levels still ‘extremely high,’ hospitals fill Visalia Times Delta
● COVID-19 cases: Increase in cases slows somewhat Porterville Recorder
● Infection rate reaches 1% in Fresno Co; Case breakdown by city Fresno Bee
● Here’s where COVID-19 cases are rising most in large & small San Joaquin Valley cities Fresno Bee
● Fresno County adds 344 cases COVID-19. No new deaths Fresno Bee
Fresno Bee
In late May, pressure from the local business community was building to reopen Fresno County’s economy after two months of shutdown due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Valley Children’s Hospital officials raise alarm on COVID-19 risk to kids
KGET
Valley Children’s Hospital says people aren’t seriously considering how dangerous COVID-19 is for children. Executives held a virtual news conference from Madera to discuss how the virus is affecting families. The hospital says they have seen an 8% positive rate for patients they’ve tested, with 69 children having to be hospitalized.
See also:
● Fresno pediatricians say kids at risk of coronavirus Fresno Bee
Borgeas: What We’ve Learned About the Pandemic Response
GV Wire
As your state senator, I have listened to people in our community voice their experiences and concerns on Calif’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.
COVID-19 unemployment may be behind rise in Fresno’s violent crime calls
abc30
Fresno Police say, so far this year, they’ve had 124 stabbings, compared to 99 in 2019. They’ve also had 284 shootings compared to 197 last year. Lt. Anthony Dewall says the increase could be for several different reasons, one of them being a direct result of the recent closures.
Fresno Police Reform Commission Forms Subcommittees To Tackle Multiple Issues
VPR
Fresno’s new Police Reform Commission is 30 days into its 90 day timeline to produce a list of recommendations on police reform to the city. On Wednesday, some of its members provided an update to the Communities for a New Calif Education Fund.
Clovis eatery does a Covid pivot, rebrands as ‘Social Therapy’
Business Journal
One Clovis restaurant is using the pandemic as a time for self-reflection, rebranding itself as a place for guests to receive therapy by way of food and beverage.
Central Valley could get federal aid for drinking water crisis. Will Trump support it?
Fresno Bee
Central Valley neighborhoods are a step closer to new money to fix broken water systems and access clean, safe drinking water — if the White House and Congress agree on an infrastructure package currently moving through the U.S. House of Representatives.
South SJ Valley:
Coronavirus cases surge in Kern County; officials cite increased testing
SF Chronicle
Coronavirus cases in Kern County have shown a startling rise, from an average of around 150 new cases a day in mid-July to 1,120 new cases and 10 deaths on Wednesday, according to the county health department.
See also:
- County health department reports over 1,100 new COVID-19 cases Thursday Bakersfield Califn
· What’s behind the skyrocketing virus cases in Kern Bakersfield Califn
Kern business owners deem new restrictions unworkable
Bakersfield Califn
The state’s offer allowing certain establishments to remain open as Kern County locks down again has come as little consolation to local business owners. Restaurants may be able to serve customers outside — and in recent weeks some have. But owners of gyms, salons and barbershops in the county say there’s no practical way for them to continue operating.
Masks mandated by council ordinance
Porterville Recorder
At Tuesday night’s meeting of the Porterville City Council, the Council unanimously approved an Urgency Ordinance to require the use of facial coverings pursuant to state guidelines. Although there was some push back from the public about being required to wear a facial covering while out in public, the consensus among the dais was that, in order to keep the community safe, facial coverings needed to be mandated.
Valley air district partnering with Nextdoor app to connect directly to neighborhoods
Bakersfield Califn
The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District has begun working with Nextdoor, the social networking service for neighborhoods, as a way to get hyperlocal in its efforts to reach valley residents in specific areas.
Workers in Wasco ask State Attorney General for support
CALmatters
Dozens of workers in the San Joaquin Valley who recently protested against unsafe labor conditions in the company Primex Farms are calling for an investigation from the Calif Attorney General. They demand to be protected during the coronavirus pandemic. There are nearly a hundred workers infected by COVID-19 and an employee of the pistachio production company died last week.
McCarthy says Ocasio-Cortez should accept Yoho’s apology
TheHill
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) on Thursday said that Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) should accept Rep. Ted Yoho’s (R-Fla.) apology he issued from the House floor Wednesday, adding that he believes the gesture was appropriate and that the lower chamber should refocus on debating policy.
State:
425,600 infected in Calif, more than any other state
Sac Bee
More people in Calif have now been infected with the coronavirus than in any other state, surging past the previous record holder NY this week. Over 425,600 Califns have tested positive for the virus since the pandemic began, according to the latest state public health data released Thursday morning, compared to over 409,000 in NY.
See Also:
● Calif coronavirus deaths top 8,000 after record-high day LA Times
● ‘We have lost control of this fight.’ Calif Democrat wants state back under stay-at-home order Fresno Bee
● Birx warns Florida, Texas and Calif are ‘three NYs’ Wash Post
● Fact Check: Calif is Not Inflating its COVID-19 Hospitalizations Fresno Bee
Can Gov. Newsom regain control of Calif’s coronavirus crisis?
Sac Bee
In his second year as Calif governor, Gavin Newsom finds himself dealing with an unprecedented crisis: the coronavirus pandemic. Despite early success in bending the curve, coronavirus infections, and COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths, are now surging in Calif.
See also:
● Calif’s coronavirus strategy failed. Should Gov. Newsom impose another shutdown? Sac Bee
● Calif to withhold funding from 2 cities defying coronavirus orders Politico
● More executive orders likely CALmatters
● NY is turning the tide on COVID-19. What Calif must learn from the Empire State Fresno Bee
● Newsom economic task force has star-studded cast. Why can’t it solve the reopening? Politico
● EDITORIALS: Calif’s coronavirus strategy failed. Should Gov. Newsom impose another shutdown? Sac Bee
Calif Leg will allow absent lawmakers to vote remotely amid COVID-19 pandemic
LA Times
Citing the threat of coronavirus, both houses of the Calif Leg plan to allow some members at higher risk for COVID-19 to weigh in on pending bills from their districts when the Leg reconvenes in Sac next week, a change in the rules that has drawn criticism from some current and former lawmakers.
Federal:
‘We are not winning the game.’ Coronavirus cases surpass 4 million in US
Fresno Bee
More than 4 million people in the United States have been confirmed with coronavirus, Johns Hopkins University reports. There have been more than 15 million confirmed cases of the COVID-19 virus worldwide, with more than 625,000 deaths, according to the university. More than 143,000 people have died in the United States.
See also:
● U.S. hits 4 million reported coronavirus cases as infections double in just six weeks Wash Post
● U.S. Hits 4 Million Cases Of Coronavirus — Adding A Million New Cases In Just 15 Days VPR
abc30
Sen. Mitch McConnell will not unveil the GOP coronavirus relief bill Thursday, ABC News has learned. After a closed-door meeting, Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Neb, told reporters to expect the package on Monday, but others would only commit to “next week.” McConnell’s office had no comment.
Trump’s Favorite Coronavirus Metric–The Case Fatality–Is Unreliable
VPR
As the number of coronavirus cases started spiking again this month, the White House keyed in on a different number — one that paints a more rosy picture of the pandemic: the case fatality rate. When asked about rising cases at a recent briefing, press secretary Kayleigh McEnany quickly parried. “We’re seeing the fatality rate in this country come down,” said McEnany. “That is a very good thing.”
Fact Check: Did Pres. Trump cut $18 billion worth of red tape, as VP Pence said?
Politifact
Vice President Mike Pence says that when it comes to deregulation, President Donald Trump’s record is historic.
Trump census order faces logistical challenge
TheHill
An executive order President Trump issued this week to exclude undocumented immigrants from the official calculation of how many seats each state gets in Congress has raised questions about how the Admin will adjust formal Census findings.
See also:
● For U.S. Census, Documenting Multiracial Heritage Is Harder Than It Sounds WSJ
● Trump Sued For Attempt To Omit Unauthorized Immigrants From A Key Census Count VPR
Wash Post
Federal agents began descending in earnest on Kansas City, Mo., this week as part of an operation that will have them working with local detectives to interview suspects and witnesses and sift through evidence in an effort to quell violent crime, U.S. officials said.
Coronavirus Trackers:
Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Calif
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 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 Financial Times
● Coronavirus in Calif by the numbers CalMatters
Seniors, Latinos say coronavirus taking a toll on mental health, finances
Modesto Bee
More than 80% of senior citizens and Latino adults reported that the coronavirus is their main concern, and more than half of those ages 65 and older and two-thirds of Latinos said the pandemic has made them anxious, stressed or overwhelmed, surveys showed.
COVID-19 Event Risk Assessment Planning Tool
Biosci
This map shows the risk level of attending an event, given the event size and location (assuming 10:1 ascertainment bias).
Elections 2020:
Biden leads in the polls: Could they be missing something?
LA Times
The team behind the Economist’s 2020 election forecast designed their model to consider lots of factors: polls, economic conditions, presidential approval ratings, political polarization, the presence of an incumbent. What didn’t get factored in?
See also:
· Opinion: Here’s what could happen to put Trump in the lead Wash Post
Trump repeals rule meant to integrate neighborhoods, further stoking racial divisions in campaign
LA Times
With President Trump facing sagging support in the suburbs, his Admin on Thursday targeted an Obama-era affordable housing regulation, the latest in a series of appeals to white voters’ fears of crime and declining property values.
Joe Biden’s most likely running mates, ranked
Wash Post
We are now just eight days from Joe Biden’s previously announced target date of Aug. 1for his vice-presidential pick. The delayed conventions and other factors could certainly postpone the selection, but we’re getting into crunchtime. (It will have to come, at the latest, during the Democratic National Convention, which is slated to begin Aug. 17.)
See also:
● Who Is Susan Rice? Former National Security Adviser On Biden VP List NPR
● Big lead in polls shifts Biden’s VP search LA Times
Calif gears up for blockbuster year of ballot measures
Politico
Expect fireworks throughout the fall as powerful interest groups compete for airtime and attention during an unprecedented presidential election in a pandemic year.
See also:
· OPINION: Voting to repeal Prop 13 will shrink racial equity gaps on property tax rates Modesto Bee
8 Big Reasons Election Day 2020 Could Be a Disaster
POLITICO
You may think you know how bad Nov. 3 will be. But all signs point to something far, far worse.
See also:
· With Nov Approaching, Election Officials Still Face Safety, Security Questions VPR
Other:
Will TikTok Be Banned In The USA? It May Depend On Who Owns It
VPR
TikTok is contemplating ways to distance itself from its Chinese parent company as threats from Wash grow louder. Congress this week advanced legislation to block federal employees from using TikTok on government-issued devices. The Trump Admin is considering ways to push the video-sharing app, beloved by teens and 20-somethings, out of the U.S. altogether.
Fox: Will Masks Interfere with Courtroom Justice?
Fox & Hounds
The fact that wearing or not wearing a mask has become a political symbol of state authority versus freedom seems so far out of bounds with medical reality.
Opinion: Democrats are now the riot party
TheHill
For almost two months, the city of Portland has been under siege from antifa and other extremists. These shock troops of the left terrorize Portland’s downtown every night. They move en masse with paramilitary precision; as organized anarchists, they deploy a wide array of less-than-lethal weapons to wound police, ranging from bats and bricks to lasers shot in the eyes of officers to permanently damage their sight. All of this is in furtherance of their goal to overturn our society and radically transform America.
AGRICULTURE/FOOD
New relief program for undocumented agricultural workers
Kern Sol News
The United Farmworkers Foundation (UFW) has launched a new emergency relief assistance program for undocumented agricultural workers impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. The program aims to serve more than 21,500 undocumented agricultural workers in Calif, Wash state and Oregon with a one-time $500 prepaid card. Households will be eligible to receive up to two prepaid cards.
The 2020 Almond Crop Set to Be 3 Billion Meat Pounds
Calif Ag Today
Three billion pounds! That’s the Calif almond objective measurement report done by the USDA and the National Agricultural Statistic Service. It’s up 18% from the 2019 crop.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE/FIRE/PUBLIC SAFETY
Crime:
COVID-19 unemployment may be behind rise in Fresno’s violent crime calls
abc30
Fresno Police say, so far this year, they’ve had 124 stabbings, compared to 99 in 2019. They’ve also had 284 shootings compared to 197 last year. Lt. Anthony Dewall says the increase could be for several different reasons, one of them being a direct result of the recent closures.
Calif prison watchdog recommends discipline for supervisors over use-of-force reports
Modesto Bee
Calif’s prison inspector general is calling on the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to discipline supervisors over faulty use-of-force investigations. The Office of the Inspector General found that some use-of-force investigations were approved through the command chain even with significant faults.
Public Safety:
Fresno Police Reform Commission Forms Subcommittees To Tackle Multiple Issues
VPR
Fresno’s new Police Reform Commission is 30 days into its 90 day timeline to produce a list of recommendations on police reform to the city. On Wednesday, some of its members provided an update to the Communities for a New Calif Education Fund.
Calif prisons must set aside space for COVID-19 patients, judge orders
LA Times
A federal judge overseeing litigation concerning the treatment of Calif inmates has ordered the state to set aside at least 100 beds at each of its 35 prisons to handle potential coronavirus outbreaks and prevent a repeat of the devastating spread at San Quentin.
See also:
● Federal judge orders Calif prisons to set aside COVID-19 quarantine space Fresno Bee
● Officials slam ‘egregious’ errors by state’s COVID-19 testing lab, nurses at Calif prison Sac Bee
Opinion: Media Covers Guns Poorly
National Review
With the possible exception of religion, there is no issue in American political life that is as poorly covered as guns. At RealClearPolitics, John Lott reports that legacy media outlets often quite literally allow anti–Second Amendment activists to write their news stories on gun policy. Politico hasn’t quite done that today, but . . . well, I’m not sure having reporters dutifully repackaging Everytown USA press releases is any better.
Fire:
These Calif inmates risked death to fight wildfires. After prison, they’re left behind
Sac Bee
When he was 17, Fernando Herrera saw a bleak future for himself. A life of gangs, violence, arrests and confinement trailed behind him. He wanted something more. While in prison, the Yuba County teen joined a program that would put him on a firefighting inmate crew at the Pine Grove Youth Conservation Camp in Amador County.
ECONOMY/JOBS
Economy:
Fresno Bee
In late May, pressure from the local business community was building to reopen Fresno County’s economy after two months of shutdown due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Bankrupt & closing stores: Here’s what the future may hold for these 4 Fresno retailers
Fresno Bee
The parent company of clothing stores Ann Taylor LOFT, Catherine’s, Justice and Lane Bryant has filed for bankruptcy and plans to close many of its stores. Ascena Retail Group owns the popular clothing stores with hundreds of locations nationwide, many of them in local malls and shopping centers.
How local barbershops and salons are serving their customers outdoors
abc30
The governor’s decision to allow barbershops and salons to open outdoors has left many business owners scrambling to come up with creative ways to keep their shop afloat during the pandemic. “We just want to make sure that we are able to provide that proper haircut to our great clients,” says Tye Featherstone, founder of The Great American Barbershop.
Kern business owners deem new restrictions unworkable
Bakersfield Califn
The state’s offer allowing certain establishments to remain open as Kern County locks down again has come as little consolation to local business owners. Restaurants may be able to serve customers outside — and in recent weeks some have. But owners of gyms, salons and barbershops in the county say there’s no practical way for them to continue operating.
Newsom economic task force has star-studded cast. Why can’t it solve the reopening?
Politico
The Governor’s Task Force on Business and Jobs Recovery — co-chaired by former Democratic presidential candidate Tom Steyer — has yet to release the roughest outlines of a road map. Critics say the public has largely been kept in the dark, while Calif fumbled its reopening this spring to the point that the state had to shut down major industries again and can’t open schools this fall.
S&P 500 has biggest loss in nearly four weeks as tech stumbles
LA Times
Slumping stocks across most of Wall Street sent the Standard & Poor’s 500 index to its worst loss in nearly four weeks Thursday, undercut by a report showing layoffs are picking up across the country along with coronavirus counts.
AEI
With unemployment rates still high and the coronavirus surging in parts of the US, Congress is deliberating another round of economic impact payments similar to those included in the CARES Act.
Jobs:
Black workers sue Harris Ranch Beef Company in Selma over alleged discrimination
Fresno Bee
Harris Ranch Beef Company fostered a hostile work environment for its Black workers, according to separate lawsuits filed against the major meatpacking plant in Selma. The latest lawsuit was filed on Thursday in Fresno County Superior Court. The previous complaint was filed in February.
Put people of color on Calif boards or pay $100K, proposed law says
Fresno Bee
As Calif corporations tout their efforts to address systemic racism and increase diversity within their companies, their boardrooms tell a different story. Gains were made for more gender representation after former Gov. Jerry Brown signed Senate Bill 826 in 2018 to appoint more women on boards of directors. But people of color are still largely underrepresented.
$600 benefit for unemployed workers would be reduced but not ended under new Trump plan
Fresno Bee
Calif’s unemployed workers could continue to get some but not all of the $600 weekly benefit they now receive under a plan the Trump Admin proposed Thursday. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin told CNBC that a Republican plan would include a “70% wage replacement” for the benefit that millions have been receiving since March and is about to end.
1.4M more sought unemployment aid, first increase since March
abc30
The number of laid-off Americans seeking unemployment benefits rose last week for the first time since the pandemic struck in March, evidence of the deepening economic pain the outbreak is causing to the economy. The rise in weekly jobless claims to 1.4 million underscores the outsize role the unemployment insurance system is playing among the nation’s safety net programs – just when a $600 weekly federal aid payment for the jobless is set to expire at the end of this week.
See Also:
● Rise in Weekly Unemployment Claims Points to Faltering Jobs Recovery WSJ
● U.S., Calif job losses grow as unemployed face benefit cuts SF Chronicle
● Down to the Wire on Unemployment Benefits PPIC
● GOP struggles with overhaul of unemployment system, complicating negotiations over $1 trillion stimulus Wash Post
Workers fear returning to work. Many are resisting the call
LA Times
A Santa Monica hotel housekeeper who works for minimum wage. A downtown LA lawyer with a six-figure salary. A Disneyland parking attendant who supports four sons. A rural schoolteacher in Northern Calif whose husband has lung disease.
Ivanka Trump’s ‘find something new’ campaign is old advice repackaged
Wash Post
People who’ve lost their jobs because of the coronavirus don’t need a new website. They need better guidance.
When Workers Can Live Anywhere, Many Ask: Why Do I Live Here?
WSJ
Coronavirus prompts Americans to reassess the need to reside near hot job markets.
EDUCATION
K-12:
CDC releases new guidelines favoring reopening schools
Fresno Bee
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released new guidelines on Thursday favoring reopening schools. President Trump has pushed heavily for reopening schools, but acknowledged on Thursday that some may need to delay reopening.
See also:
● CDC releases updated guidelines in favor of reopening schools TheHill
Will Fresno-area elementary schools seek special permission to reopen amid COVID-19?
Fresno Bee
Calif school districts in counties on the state’s coronavirus watchlist – like Fresno – have a chance to reopen elementary schools in the fall. Under the school reopening guidelines Gov. Gavin Newsom released Friday, school districts on the watch list can submit a waiver that would exempt elementary schools from closures, according to a statement from the Santa Clara Office of Education.
The challenges to opening schools this fall start at the bus stop
Real Clear Policy
The complexities of busing students in a pandemic show just how complicated the reopening decisions facing school leaders are.
In shift, Trump says some schools may need to delay opening amid coronavirus pandemic
abc30
Softening his earlier stance, President Donald Trump on Thursday acknowledged that some schools may need to delay their reopening this fall as the coronavirus continues to surge. It marks a shift from Trump’s previous demand for a full reopening of the nation’s schools this fall. In recent weeks, Trump has said that it’s safe to open schools and that Democrats have opposed it for political reasons.
See also:
· Polls: Parents Are Hurting Without Child Care But In No Rush To Reopen Schools VPR
· Poll: Parents concerned about children falling behind as COVID-19 keeps schools shuttered abc News
· Gallup poll: 75% of U.S. teachers concerned about COVID-19 in schools this fall UPI.com
‘Learning hubs’ opening across SF to help 6,000 kids in need with distance education
SF Chronicle
SF officials are readying an unprecedented educational assistance program for the fall meant to help up to 6,000 children with their distance-learning needs, as parents and students confront the reality of starting the school year without classrooms during the COVID-19 pandemic.
CALmatters
Distance learning will never be as good as in-person learning, but we can do a lot better. New research provides key lessons for how to ensure high-quality educational opportunities.
Higher Ed:
BC, KHSD partner to offer 4 new Early College pathways to high schoolers
Bakersfield Califn
The Kern High School District has partnered with Bakersfield College to offer four new Early College pathways to high schoolers, who will have the opportunity to graduate with an associate’s degree at the same time they receive a high school diploma.
COVID-19 Roundup: Colleges Tilt Toward Online Openings
Inside Higher Ed
As several more colleges announce plans to educate students mostly virtually this fall, a new database shows that’s the way the decisions are trending nationally.
Inside Higher Ed
As more colleges announce online fall terms, some are also reducing tuition rates. Wealthy families are likely to be the biggest beneficiaries of those discounts.
ENVIRONMENT/ENERGY
Environment:
Calif’s giant swamp rodent problem on track to get a lift from Congress
Fresno Bee
It looks like Calif is about to get more money to eradicate giant swamp rats that have infiltrated the Central Valley. The House of Representatives is voting Friday on a bill that includes a $1.75 million pot of money that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service can tap into to kill the rats, called nutria.
Congress approves conservation bill
Sac Bee
Congress has passed sweeping legislation allocating $900 million a year for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), and an additional $9.5 billion over five years to address an urgent backlog of maintenance projects at the nation’s parks and other public lands.
Editorial: National parks and public lands needed a win. Congress finally gave them one
LA Times
It is, in truth, a moment to savor. The House on Wednesday overwhelmingly approved a Senate-passed measure to spend $9.5 billion over five years on national parks, enough to clear out most of the nation’s $12 billion in deferred park maintenance projects.
Energy:
Is America’s biggest gas utility abusing customer money? Calif demands answers
LA Times
The nation’s largest gas utility has spent months fighting an investigation by a Calif consumer watchdog agency, saying the company’s constitutional rights are being trampled and refusing to give regulators full access to its financial records.
HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES
Health:
Fresno Co adds almost 500 new cases on record-setting day for state COVID-19 tally
Fresno Bee
Fresno County added 442 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, reaching a total of 11,412 infections since the start of the pandemic, according to numbers reported by the state. Wednesday was at least the fifth-straight day Fresno County reported more than 300 cases.
See Also:
● COVID-19 update: Tulare County case levels still ‘extremely high,’ hospitals fill Visalia Times Delta
● COVID-19 cases: Increase in cases slows somewhat Porterville Recorder
● County health department reports over 1,100 new COVID-19 cases Thursday Bakersfield Califn
Valley Children’s Hospital discusses influx of patients amid coronavirus crisis
abc30
Valley Children’s Hospital will discuss the effects the coronavirus pandemic is having on their hospital as COVID-19 cases continue to surge in Central Calif. The hospital’s president and CEO, Todd Suntrapak, will hold a press conference at 11:45 am. He will be joined by health officials at the hospital.
Fact Check: Calif isn’t inflating its COVID-19 hospitalizations
Fresno Bee
The claim is part of a national web of conspiracy theories that have taken hold throughout the coronavirus pandemic, sometimes coming from the Trump Admin, repeated on social media and parroted by pundits. Vice President Mike Pence aired a version of it on a call with governors last month, The NY Times reported.
How Long Will Immunity To The Coronavirus Last?
VPR
So many people are counting on a vaccine to help end the coronavirus pandemic that any hint of bad news gets a lot of attention. That’s proving to be the case for a series of studies examining how long antibodies persist in people who have been infected with the coronavirus.
See also:
● Without A Vaccine, Researchers Say, Herd Immunity May Never Be Achieved VPR
Can Masks Save Us From More Lockdowns? Here’s What The Science Says
VPR
The American conversation around masks and COVID-19 has taken a dizzying turn. For months, wearing masks has been politicized as a sign of liberal leanings. But in recent days, ever more governors — many of them Republican — have moved to mandate masks. This week President Trump — arguably the nation’s most visible mask un-enthusiast — started referring to wearing them as “patriotic.”
New study finds hydroxychloroquine ineffective at treating COVID-19
TheHill
Another study has found that an antimalarial drug touted by President Trumpand his top advisers is not effective at treating COVID-19 and may cause adverse effects.
Human Services:
Fresno-area doctors push back at false narrative about children and COVID-19. Here’s why
Fresno Bee
The coronavirus may affect children differently than adults — but they are still susceptible to getting the potentially fatal virus and passing it around, officials with Valley Children’s Hospital in Madera said Thursday.
Hall Ambulance struggles with increase covid cases; state deploying two ambulance strike teams
23abc
Extra help is on the way to Kern County after Hall Ambulance told Public Health they were struggling to keep up.
Families seek more access to loved ones in long-term care
CalMatters
As the pandemic drags on, families and nursing home watchdogs are mobilizing in Calif and nationwide to urge state officials to allow in at least one “essential caregiver” to watch over loved ones, many of whom suffer from dementia.
Abundance or shortage? Newsom and hospitals at odds over mask supply for health care workers
CALmatters
As the state reported a record number of single day coronavirus cases of 12,807, Newsom said hospitals are not adequately distributing masks to workers. The state’s hospital association contends the supply chain “remains spotty.”
COVID contact tracers: Inside the work of Calif’s disease detectives
CALmatters
As Calif’s counties struggle to keep up with the ballooning demand for contact tracing, the county with the greatest number of cases, LA, has thus far maintained a relatively robust contact tracing program. And to coax those hesitant to cooperate, the county just announced a pilot program to give $20 gift cards to people who agree to be interviewed by a contact tracer.
The pandemic has closed public restrooms, and many have nowhere to go
PEW
Sales of urine funnels and external catheters are soaring.
FCC approves simple 3-digit number 988 for suicide lifeline. It’ll work locally, too
Modesto Bee
On July 16, the Federal Communications Commission unanimously approved a new 3-digit national suicide lifeline number, 988. The ruling requires that by July 2022, all phone service providers to funnel calls to 988 to the current National Suicide Prevention Lifeline – 1-800-273-8255 (TALK).
Fact Check: Trump and Medicare
PolitiFact
Democrats didn’t wait long after President Donald Trump unveiled his budget for 2020 to call him out for cutting Medicare, a program he promised to leave untouched.
IMMIGRATION
It’s not just immigration. How Latino leaders want to participate in pandemic recovery
Sac Bee
“Every issue is a Latino issue.“ This new agenda tackles voting rights, climate change and more.
How Trump’s coronavirus immigration orders affect visas and green cards
LA Times
President Trump tweeted in April that he would “temporarily suspend immigration into the United States!” leading to confusion and panic. For those affected by the rapidly shifting regulations, it can be hard to make sense of documents written in inscrutable legalese. Tweets can’t capture the full picture of the new rules, or may distort them entirely.
OPINION: Gov. Newsom must stop direct transfers from Calif prisons to ICE facilities
Modesto Bee
As you read this, Califns are getting sick and dying in United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facilities, and it is fully within Calif’s power to end it.
LAND USE/HOUSING
Land Use:
Tower Beautification Project begins
Fresno Bee
The City of Fresno with Councilmember Esmeralda Soria and Council President Miguel Arias have partnered with Neighborhood Industries to begin the Tower Beautification Project. Cleanup will include litter abatement and sidewalk pressure washing.
Capital Public Radio
Juan Altamirano grew up in Southern Calif with very few parks or green spaces near his home. That’s why he wants to see Assembly Bill 3030 become law, a Calif proposal that would help guarantee around a third of the state’s land and oceans be shielded from things like development.
Passage of federal act has at least one local parks official celebrating
Bakersifled Califn
Steph Sanders is celebrating the passage of the Great American Outdoors Act by Congress this week.
Housing:
Southern Calif’s housing market rebounds, but it may not last
LA Times
The Southern Calif housing market is showing signs of heating up after a coronavirus-induced slump. Sales are still below year-earlier levels but are up sharply from spring, when stay-at-home orders all but froze the market. Some real estate agents say they are even seeing bidding wars.
Black, Latinx, Immigrant, and Undocumented Califns Locked Out of Affordable Housing
Calif budget and Policy Center
Expiring unemployment insurance benefits. Rent and mortgage payments due again soon.
Google commits over $100 million of $1 billion affordable housing pledge
SF Chronicle
Google has allocated $115 million out of a $250 million investment fund for affordable housing projects in the Bay Area. The Mountain View tech giant said that the $115 million commitment should help fund the creation of at least 24,000 affordable units by 2029, with the majority of using modular construction.
US new home sales jump 13.8% in June
KGET 17
Sales of new homes rose a sharp 13,8% in June, the second straight increase after two months when sales plunged as the country went into lockdown because of the coronavirus
FAQ: What renters need to know about the federal eviction moratorium ending
Wash Post
The end of the four-month moratorium puts 12 million renters at risk of eviction as the pandemic continues to surge
Trump Admin ends Obama fair housing rule
TheHill
The Trump Admin on Thursday repealed an Obama Admin rule meant to combat housing discrimination that President Trump has cited as he portrays presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden as a threat to suburban voters.
PUBLIC FINANCES
Will Americans get a second stimulus check? Here’s what we do — and don’t — know
Sac Bee
A moratorium on evictions and a $600 unemployment boost spurred by the coronavirus pandemic are set to expire soon — but are Americans any closer to a second round of economic relief payments?
Valley Voices: Reparation, in the form of universal basic income, is an idea whose time has come
Fresno Bee
What makes current rage over racial injustices laid bare by the pandemic as well as George Floyd’s death different from the past ones is a call from all walks of life and ethnic backgrounds for a systemic, structural and transformative reform over policing and social inequality.
Fact Check: Trump and cuts to Social Security
PolitiFact
As a candidate, Donald Trump promised to make no cuts to Social Security. As president, he has periodically proposed policies that would cut aspects of the program, but so far, none of them have been enacted.
Fact Check: Donald Trump wrong again that recent tax bill is biggest ever
Politifact
President Donald Trump repeated in his State of the Union address one of his most frequent talking points — and one that has been repeatedly debunked.
TRANSPORTATION
Southwest tightens face mask rule, Delta steps up coronavirus testing
abc30
Delta Air Lines will provide at-home coronavirus tests for some employees and Southwest Airlines will tighten its rule on face masks by ending exceptions for medical reasons.
WATER
Central Valley could get federal aid for drinking water crisis. Will Trump support it?
Fresno Bee
Central Valley neighborhoods are a step closer to new money to fix broken water systems and access clean, safe drinking water — if the White House and Congress agree on an infrastructure package currently moving through the U.S. House of Representatives.
Calif, 19 other states sue Trump Admin over new water rules
LA Times
Calif joined 19 other states and the District of Columbia sued the Trump Admin Tuesday, alleging that new federal rules undermine their ability to protect rivers, lakes and streams within their borders.
“Xtra”
Movie theaters implore studios: Release the blockbusters
Fresno Bee
A long time ago in a pre-COVID universe far, far away, blockbusters opened around the globe simultaneously or nearly so. In 1975, “Jaws” set the blueprint. Concentrate marketing. Open wide. Pack them in.