POLICY & POLITICS
North SJ Valley:
UC Merced Welcomes Juan Sánchez Muñoz as Fourth Chancellor
UC Merced Newsroom
The University of California, Merced, is nearing the completion of an unprecedented campus expansion project and raising its reputation across the nation and the world, all during a time in which the COVID-19 pandemic has upended nearly every aspect of people’s daily lives and created much uncertainty about the near future.
Stanislaus Co to cooperate with state’s new coronavirus order. Cases hit new high.
Modesto Bee
Stanislaus County will comply with a state order that closes indoor restaurant dining and arcades in an attempt to slow the resurgence of the coronavirus outbreak, its chief executive officer said.
$24.8 million grant helps pay for apts in Modesto, plus bike paths & ACE rail
Modesto Bee
A $24.8 million state grant will help build 74 low-income apartments in Modesto while also promoting alternatives to driving. About $14.3 million will go toward the second and final phase of Archway Commons, which opened with 76 units at Carver Road and North Ninth Street in 2013.
Californians are losing their fear of the coronavirus, setting the stage for disaster
Modesto Bee
As California began to rapidly reopen the economy, officials in Santa Cruz County decided the safe thing to do was keep its landmark beaches largely closed in the afternoons to prevent crowds that could spread the coronavirus.
Hospitals feel the rush of COVID-19 cases
Turlock Journal
The rising number of coronavirus cases in Stanislaus County has prompted a closure of a variety of businesses this week and is straining the area’s hospital’s ability to care for a growing number of COVID-19 patients.
Business owners reeling as COVID restrictions return
Turlock Journal
Just over a month after restaurateurs in Turlock got the go-ahead to reopen their indoor dining operations, orders from Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday shut them back down — and they’re feeling the pain.
Central SJ Valley:
Clovis City Council to consider allowing backyard chickens
Fresno Bee
Backyard chickens in Clovis isn’t a new idea. It’s been a topic for some time. Clovis Police Services Manager George Rodriguez, who presented the Clovis council with a report on the potential ordinance, said the idea first came up in Clovis about 10 years ago.
Fresno City Council lets tax-sharing deal with county expire. Here’s why
Fresno Bee
The Fresno City Council voted unanimously on June 25 to let its tax-sharing agreement with Fresno County lapse unless a new deal can be negotiated before it expires on Aug. 29, effectively slowing the city’s growth outside of its current limits for the foreseeable future.
Fresno professor shares how Japanese wear face masks
Fresno Bee
The U.S. has become a natural laboratory for how COVID-19 spreads when health advisories are ignored or carelessly implemented. We know from several Asian countries that when social distancing is combined with widespread masking, testing and contact tracing, viral transmissions and mortality are nearly eliminated.
See also:
● A User’s Guide To Masks: What’s Best At Protecting Others (And Yourself) VPR
● What to know about viral post questioning mask effectiveness Fresno Bee
● Cities crack down on mask violators; Governor announces awareness campaign Public CEO
Tulare County hospitals near capacity, brace for second COVID-19 surge
Visalia Times Delta
Tulare County hospitals are straining under the weight of a second surge of coronavirus patients, leaving ICU units nearly full and nurses overwhelmed as the number of new cases explodes across the Central Valley, California and nationwide.
Justice demanded for Vanessa Guillen at march through downtown Fresno
Fresno Bee
Approximately 150 people gathered at Fresno City Hall and marched demanding justice for Vanessa Guillen Saturday, July 4, 2020 in Fresno.
See Also:
● Nearly 200 people rally for Vanessa Guillen in peaceful demonstration Hanford Sentinel
Rally held in downtown Fresno to protest state budget cuts
abc30
A downtown Fresno rally was organized on Tuesday to bring awareness to a $202 billion budget recently signed by the governor. Protesters said they are concerned that spending cuts could trickle down to local programs and leave many without a job.
See also:
● Are Protests Unsafe? What Experts Say May Depend on Who’s Protesting What New York Times
Swearengin Says VMT Is Tool to Fix Fresno’s ‘Cotton Candy’ Economy
GV Wire
Former Fresno Mayor Ashley Swearengin said “something definitely needs to change” when it comes to meeting Fresno’s housing needs. And the state’s controversial new VMT law, she said, “is a tool” for fixing what she describes as the city’s history of unsustainable development.
South SJ Valley:
Being flexible: Council approves 2020-2021 budget but will revisit in October
Porterville Recorder
During a special City Council meeting on Tuesday night, the Porterville City Council unanimously approved the adoption of the city budget for the 2020-2021 fiscal year (FY), but will have to revisit the budget in October to include any modifications that may need to be made due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on city funds.
Kern Co leaders urge businesses to comply with Gov’s shutdown orders
Bakersfield Californian
The day after the Gov. announced new restrictions for businesses in response to an upsurge in coronavirus cases, Kern Co officials hoped the new measures would have the intended impact.
McCarthy: He’ll introduce bill blocking funds for states that don’t protect statues
Fox News
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy said Thursday he will introduce legislation that will block federal funding for states that do no protect their historical monuments and statues “I’ll be introducing legislation to withhold funding from states and cities where leaders fail to uphold the law,” McCarthy said during a press briefing Thursday. “The mobs that Democrats encourage, suppress speech and punish those who speak out.”
Price: Vision 2050, interrupted: City tries to map its future in the midst of historic uncertainty
Bakersfield Californian
When Dolores Huerta Foundation executives brought their plans for a $20 million downtown cultural center and organizational headquarters to city officials last year, they were met with great enthusiasm. And a suggestion that might initially seem odd.
State:
Opinion: Gov should be held responsible for the recent coronavirus surge in Calif
Fresno Bee
Just a few weeks ago, Gov. Gavin Newsom was boasting about California’s apparent success in suppressing COVID-19 infections in implicit contrast to other states, such as New York, that were being clobbered by the pandemic.
See Also:
● Houses of worship told to ‘discontinue singing’ under order from Newsom as pandemic worsensFresno Bee
● Jail Outbreaks, No Bars & Indoor Restaurants – COVID-19 Update For June 29-July 3 VPR
● How did we get here? California struggling to stay on top of pandemic San Francisco Chronicle
● California coronavirus outlook worsens Los Angeles Times
● Walters: Newsom now owns the COVID-19 pandemic CalMatters
● Willie Brown: California’s confused fight against the coronavirus SFChronicle.com
Governor warns California officials to enforce health rules
Bakersfield Californian
California Gov. Gavin Newsom warned local elected officials on Friday they risk state sanctions if they don’t enforce health orders as the coronavirus pandemic worsens, while about 200 state inspectors fanned out to look for violators over the long holiday weekend.
See Also:
● What Gavin Newsom is doing to enforce his mask order without mandatory fines Sacramento Bee
● Gov. Gavin Newsom Urging All Californians To Wear A Mask Capital Public Radio
● No, wearing a mask does not cut off your oxygen. Here are the facts. San Francisco Chronicle
Editorial: ‘Because of my stupidity.’ COVID-19 victim’s last words a lesson for all Californians
Fresno Bee
The past few weeks will go down in history as some of the most disastrous in California history.
Federal:
Trump’s views — bleak about the U.S., rosy about coronavirus — put Republicans on the spot
Los Angeles Times
White House surrogates and GOP lawmakers struggled Sunday to defend President Trump after he spent the Fourth of July holiday weekend denigrating the racial-justice movement galvanized by George Floyd’s killing and playing down a deadly pandemic by claiming that 99% of coronavirus cases are “completely harmless.”
See also:
● Trump Falsely Claims ‘99%’ of Virus Cases Are ‘Totally Harmless’ New York Times
● Democrats fear US already lost COVID-19 battle TheHill
CA Republicans join to help the Lincoln Project defeat Trump
Sacramento Bee
Now that the Lincoln Project has the nation’s attention with its ads baiting and attacking President Donald Trump, the political action committee is going grassroots.
Trump’s push to amplify racism unnerves Republicans who have long enabled him
Washington Post
President Trump has left little doubt through his utterances the past few weeks that he sees himself not only as the Republican standard-bearer but as a leader of a modern grievance movement animated by civic strife and marked by calls for “white power.”
PolitiFact
In the weeks since protests erupted after the death of George Floyd, one mysterious word has consistently popped up in press briefings, cable news broadcasts and social media posts: antifa.
Trump’s Judges, Mostly White Men, Will Rule For Decades
NPR
With a boost from the Republican-led Senate, President Trump has now confirmed 200 federal judges. Each one has a life term, representing a legacy that could extend for a generation.
See also:
● The five biggest cases awaiting Supreme Court decisions TheHill
Supreme Court Acts To Postpone More Controversies, From Mueller Report To Abortion
VPR
The U.S. Supreme Court agreed Thursday to hear arguments this fall in a case that pits the Trump administration against the House Judiciary Committee and its efforts to see redacted portions of a report on Russian interference prepared by special prosecutor Robert Mueller. The decision is a significant blow to House Democrats’ efforts to see the material before the November election. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia had ruled that the House Judiciary Committee was entitled to see usually secret grand jury material that was redacted by the Trump Justice Department from the Mueller report on the 2016 election when it was handed over to the committee.
Opinion: ‘Greatest generation’ would be ashamed of America’s Fresno Bee
As a lecturer in the History department at Fresno State, I teach some of our general education survey courses on American history and usually show my students video clips on World War II rationing when we get to that period.
Coronavirus Trackers:
U.S. Surpasses Global Record For New COVID-19 Cases Recorded In A Day
VPR
The United States has reached a daily global record for the coronavirus pandemic — reporting more than 55,000 new COVID-19 cases. The daily U.S. tally stood at 55,274 late Thursday, which exceeds the previous single-day record of 54,771 set by Brazil on June 19. Johns Hopkins University & Medicine’s Coronavirus Resource Center, which tracks the virus worldwide, says the total number of cases reported in the U.S. stands at 2,739,879, an increase of 53,399 over Wednesday’s figure.
See also
· Some States To Out-Of-Towners: If You Come Visit, Plan To Quarantine For 2 Weeks VPR
Coronavirus (COVID-19) in California
COVID-19 is a new illness that can affect your lungs and airways. It’s caused by a virus called coronavirus.
See also:
● California Department of Public Health
● Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) Pandemic – WHO
● John Hopkins University & Medicine John Hopkins University
● Tracking coronavirus in California Los Angeles Times
● Coronavirus Tracker San Francisco Chronicle
● Coronavirus in the U.S.: Latest Map and Case Count New York 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 California by the numbers CalMatters
Elections 2020:
Calif’s November ballot is set. Here are the statewide measures you’ll vote on
Sacramento Bee
Come November, California voters are going to have plenty of decisions to make. Leaving aside the hotly contested presidential election, as well as numerous state and local races, California voters also will have to decide on a dozen different ballot measures.
These Calif Republicans will raise money and campaign against Trump’s reelection
Sacramento Bee
Now that the Lincoln Project has the nation’s attention with its ads baiting and attacking President Donald Trump, the political action committee is going grassroots.
See also:
· Unhappy voters could deliver political shocks beyond Trump TheHill
· Editorial: With Nov. 3 looming, Trump is more dangerous than ever Los Angeles Times
Biden vows to uproot systemic racism in Fourth of July message
Los Angeles Times
Former Vice President Joe Biden vowed Saturday to “rip the roots of systemic racism out of this country” in a Fourth of July message that contrasted sharply with President Trump’s warning at a Mt. Rushmore fireworks display that “angry mobs” at protests against racism were assaulting America’s history and culture.
States can punish ‘faithless’ electors, Supreme Court rules
Politico
The Supreme Court has unanimously ruled that states are free to remove and punish presidential electors who break with their pledges to support designated candidates.
See also:
● Supreme Court says states may require presidential electors to support popular-vote winnerWashington Post
● Supreme Court Allows States to Prohibit ‘Faithless’ Presidential Electors Wall Street Journal
Commentary: Republicans & Democrats in Calif prefer to get ballot in the mail
CalMatters
In the November election, California will have to meet the bipartisan demand from voters for mail ballots and redesign sites for safe, in-person voting.
See also:
· Will Hundreds Of Thousands Of Vote-By-Mail Ballots Go To Californians Who Have Died Or Moved? Election Experts Are Skeptical. Capital Public Radio
Other:
Fresno native runs over 200 miles for Native American social justice
Fresno Bee
Elizabeth Perez, Navy veteran formerly from Fresno running from Fort Tejon to Madera in the name of social justice for Natve Americans interviewed near Corcoran Thursday, July 2, 2020.
Facebook groups against coronavirus restrictions pivot to attacks on Black Lives Matter
Los Angeles Times
A loose network of Facebook groups that took root across the country in April to organize protests over coronavirus stay-at-home orders has become a hub of misinformation and conspiracy theories that have pivoted to a variety of new targets. Their latest: Black Lives Matter and the nationwide protests of racial injustice.
Human-machine detection of online-based malign information
RAND
As social media is increasingly being used as people’s primary source for news online, there is a rising threat from the spread of malign and false information.
AGRICULTURE/FOOD
Will aid money keep farmers afloat during the pandemic?
Fresno Bee
Fresno County sheep rancher Ryan Indart talks about protecting the supply chain and asking if the federal aid money will be enough to keep him and others afloat during the pandemic.
KCAO partners with others for summer food program
Hanford Sentinel
Whether it’s blazing outside or just plain old hot, Kings Community Action Organization and its partners never waver in their dedication to make sure kids don’t go hungry over the summer. KCAO’s Summer Food Services Program was started over 20 years ago as a way to keep kids fed while they’re out of school.
Fresno Co Dept of Ag Distributes Nearly One Million Masks For Farm Workers
VPR
As COVID-19 cases in the San Joaquin Valley continue to climb, the Fresno County Department of Agriculture recently secured nearly one million masks to help protect the county’s agricultural workers.
After covid-19, a Perdue poultry plant worker fears a return to work in Delaware
Washington Post
The poultry plant worker pulled into the clinic’s parking lot to find it full of people in face masks. Some sat quietly in their cars while others paced the gravel anxiously. But all of their eyes were fixed on the white clapboard building in front of them.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE/FIRE/PUBLIC SAFETY
Crime:
Who Responds To Nonviolent Crises? New Urgency To Remove Police From The Equation
Capital Public Radio
On the afternoon of June 2, 2019, psychosis convinced 23-year-old Miles Hall that a long iron gardening tool given to him by a neighbor had morphed into a staff gifted from God, his mother said. He used it to break his parents’ sliding glass door.
Newsom vows crackdown on coronavirus scofflaws. Will law enforcement cooperate?
Los Angeles Times
In April, Plumas County barber Steve Betts became one of the first Californians to face a criminal penalty for violating coronavirus health orders when he refused to close his two shops. After local sheriff’s deputies warned him twice, they cited him on their third visit. Now, due back in court in August, he faces six months in jail and a $1,000 fine for each day he refused to shut down, he said.
Public Safety:
Modesto will have fewer cops, more civilians to help them in pandemic-battered budget
Modesto Bee
The city will use retirements, attrition to reduce police staffing by about a half dozen in balancing $140.3 million general fund.
CA police partnerships with Amazon Ring cameras raise alarms
Fresno Bee
As nationwide protests force a deep examination of police tactics and funding, technology companies say they are re-evaluating their relationship with law enforcement as well. Amazon has halted police use of its facial recognition technology for one year and the website Nextdoor has stopped forwarding tips to police.
Los Angeles Times
Wearing their masks, Donalene Ferrer and two other generations of family members were walking along an Oceanside neighborhood in April when a car pulled up and a woman yelled: “You started the corona!”
Calls to defund police continue to grow across the US
KBAK
From New York City considering a billion-dollar cut to Minneapolis wanting a new department of community safety instead, the calls to defund the police are loud and widespread.
Amid Protests And Virus Fears, Firearm Background Checks Hit All-Time High
VPR
In a year marked by coronavirus fears, a slowing economy and nationwide protests calling for an end to systemic racism, more and more Americans are looking to arm themselves, according to a key government indicator. The FBI reported that Americans set a new record of 3.9 million background checks to purchase or possess firearms in June. That eclipsed the previous record set in March of 3.7 million background checks.
Fire:
Active night for Fresno Fire Dept as suspected fireworks cause fires
Fresno Bee
The Fresno Fire Department responded to many calls of grass or structure fires in Fresno, CA on Saturday, July 4, 2020. No injuries were reported.
See Also:
● Fresno Fire responds to more than 200 calls from fires that were caused by fireworks Fresno Bee
● Local firefighters see busy night during 4th of July celebrations abc30
Calif severely short on firefighting crews after COVID-19 lockdown at prison camps
Fresno Bee
As California enters another dangerous fire season, the COVID-19 pandemic has depleted the ranks of inmate fire crews that are a key component of the state’s efforts to battle out-of-control wildfires.
ECONOMY/JOBS
Economy:
Fresno restaurant owner sees his open-air dining as safe. He says city, county don’t agree
Fresno Bee
The owner of Pismo’s Coastal Grill believes he is being targeted by Fresno city and county officials over what qualifies as outdoor or open-air dining and is allowed amid a coronavirus surge.
See Also:
● Coronavirus closes indoor dining again. How will Stanislaus County restaurants adapt? Modesto Bee
● Coronavirus closed your favorite Modesto area restaurant? Here’s the best way to help Modesto Bee
● Coronavirus closures rock California restaurants, again Los Angeles Times
Calif Halts Many Indoor Businesses In 19 Counties As Coronavirus Cases Spike
VPR
Gov. Gavin Newsom is ordering 19 counties to shift many business operations outdoors or close them immediately, citing a sharp spike in new coronavirus cases. The state recorded nearly 6,000 new coronavirus cases on Tuesday, the governor said.
‘The crisis is far from over.’ World economy faces an uphill climb
Los Angeles Times
The world economy is entering the second half of 2020 still deeply weighed down by the COVID-19 pandemic, with a full recovery now ruled out for this year and even a 2021 comeback dependent on a lot going right.
Welcoming New California Stewardship Network Co-chair
CA FWD
Join CA Fwd and our California Stewardship Network in welcoming Heidi Hill Drum, CEO of the Tahoe Prosperity Center who, along with Oscar Chavez, will lead the network.
Evan Schmidt Takes the Reins at Valley Vision
CA FWD
Valley Vision, a regional organization and a member of the California Stewardship Network welcomed Evan Schmidt as new CEO effective July 1.
ICYMI: Full Regions Recover Together Coverage
CA FWD
If you missed any part of last week’s Regions Recover Together virtual event hosted by CA Fwd, our California Stewardship Network, and California Economic Summit network partners, don’t worry! We’ve got you covered.
California Latino Economic Roadmap
California Latino Economic Institute
Since COVID-19 has descended upon our state and nation, we have entered what many experts indicate will be a deep global recession. Millions of Californians have found themselves out of work and businesses are in peril, struggling to adapt to new guidelines now that the state legislature and Governor Newsom have negotiated a balanced budget. This pandemic has magnified the urgency of eliminating structural causes of economic inequality affecting Latinos and communities of color prior to COVID-19.
Generation Z Is Bearing the Economic Brunt of the Virus
Bloomberg
Already scarred by the global financial crisis a decade ago, a generation of younger people is bearing the economic brunt of the coronavirus. Even billions of dollars in global fiscal stimulus is struggling to cushion the blow as the pandemic worsens generational inequality.
Jobs:
Gig workers face shifting roles, competition in pandemic
Bakersfield Californian
There were the two-hour, unpaid waits outside supermarkets when San Francisco first started to lock down, on top of the heavy shopping bags that had to be lugged up countless flights of stairs.And yet even after signing up for several apps, 39-year-old Saori Okawa still wasn’t making as much money delivering meals and groceries as she did driving for ride-hailing giant Uber before the pandemic struck.
Hiring Surged In June With 4.8 Million Jobs Added Before New Spike In Infections
VPR
Employers added a record 4.8 million jobs last month, as the U.S. economy continued to slowly bounce back from a deep and painful coronavirus recession. The unemployment rate dipped to 11.1%. Job growth accelerated from May, when revised figures show employers added 2.7 million jobs.
Calif lawmakers take quick action to advance expansion of paid family leave
Los Angeles Times
California would require some of the state’s small businesses to offer job-protected leave to new parents and workers who need to care for sick family members under a proposal championed by Gov. Gavin Newsom that cleared the state Senate on Thursday.
Does employment respond differently to minimum wage increases in the presence of inflation indexing?
AEI
The authors study whether minimum wage increases lead to differential employment effects in states where minimum wages are indexed to inflation.
Calif bill would force companies like Amazon to guarantee restroom breaks
TheHill
A California bill that would require companies like Amazon to guarantee restroom breaks is moving through the state’s legislature.
EDUCATION
K-12:
Fresno teachers scramble to make distance learning work
Fresno Bee
Thousands of Fresno Unified School District teachers whose work life changed drastically on March 13, 2020, when the district shut down schools to help slow the spread of COVID-19, moved classes exclusively online. School work was not mandatory.
Fresno educator prevails after equal pay fight reaches U.S. Supreme Court
Fresno Bee
She had sued the Fresno County of Education, alleging she was being paid less than a new male co-worker because he made more in his previous job.
Lawmakers, advocates say budget hurts best-performing schools
Sacramento Bee
School funding in California has long adhered to the guiding principle that the money follows the student.
What California’s Budget Deal Means For K-12 Schools
Capital Public Radio
California’s new budget provides enough funding for schools to pivot to hybrid learning when they reopen this fall. But school officials fear Sacramento’s decision to delay cuts could throw districts into the fiscal abyss later.
Data You Can Use: How Much Virtual Schooling Happened During the Pandemic?
EdNote
When school leaders cobbled together emergency distance learning plans in March and April, they knew they were turning a blind corner. Would they reach all or even most of their students? Would students be invested in their schoolwork?
Inclusive schools build inclusive societies
Brookings
Despite the fact that education was recognized as a universal human right 70 years ago, over 250 million young people are not in school. Disproportionate among them are children with disabilities, those in deep poverty, girls, ethnic and linguistic minorities, LGBTQ youth, refugees, and migrants. Christopher Thomas offers three ideas to make our schools and societies more inclusive.
Higher Ed:
CSUB focuses initiatives on making higher education diverse, welcoming for all
Bakersfield Californian
Cal State Bakersfield has made it a primary goal to show that higher education is diverse, accessible and welcoming to all students, especially students of color.
UC Merced Welcomes Juan Sánchez Muñoz as Fourth Chancellor
UC Merced Newsroom
The University of California, Merced, is nearing the completion of an unprecedented campus expansion project and raising its reputation across the nation and the world, all during a time in which the COVID-19 pandemic has upended nearly every aspect of people’s daily lives and created much uncertainty about the near future.
ENVIRONMENT/ENERGY
Environment:
Coronavirus delays California air quality rules
Los Angeles Times
As experts warn that exposure to pollution can increase the risk of dying from COVID-19, an array of powerful industries is pressuring California regulators to delay or roll back air quality and climate regulations due to the coronavirus outbreak.
Editorial: The plastics you don’t see might kill you
Los Angeles Times
Disposable gloves and face masks — along with antiseptic wipes, disposable grocery bags, and bottles of hand sanitizer — have been crucial first lines of defense against the coronavirus.
Energy:
Oil producers appeal for time to comply with regulations during pandemic
Bakersfield Californian
Local oil producers are having a hard time keeping up with their regulatory obligations during the pandemic. Half a dozen companies in Kern County have responded to a state offer by applying for extra time to test oil field injection sites, plug wells, and perform other required health and safety tasks.
CRC buys more time to pay its debts
Bakersfield Californian
Oil producer California Resources Corp., the large local employer that has struggled lately to keep up with its debt payments, said Thursday it has won more time to satisfy its biggest creditors. After missing a payment deadline of 8:59 p.m. Tuesday and then declining to address the matter publicly, CRC said in a filing with the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission that it now has until 8:59 p.m. Tuesday to pay about $30 million in interest payments.
HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES
Health:
Fresno County’s latest 250-plus coronavirus cases push pandemic total past 6,000
Fresno Bee
Fresno County surpassed 6,000 total coronavirus cases Saturday, with the health department reporting 259 new positive test results for COVID-19. No additional deaths were reported, leaving fatalities at 77. Seventeen more patients were listed as recovered for a total of 1,369 and two more having been hospitalized at some point for a total of 394.
See Also:
● Kings County reports coronavirus-related death in nursing facility, adds 38 cases Fresno Bee
● In one-month span, Fresno County’s coronavirus count increases by nearly 4,000 positive testsFresno Bee
● Fresno County adds 2 deaths, 337 COVID-19 cases. Here’s what the sheriff is doing Fresno Bee
● Coronavirus: Tracking Central California COVID-19 cases abc30
● Delayed coronavirus surge slams Tulare County hospitals, threatens economy: ‘This is serious’Visalia Times Delta
● Kern Public Health: 115 new coronavirus cases, 1 more death reported Sunday Bakersfield Californian
● One-day drop in Stanislaus County infection rate Modesto Bee
● Stanislaus County hospitals are ‘stretched thin’ by COVID-19 patients, leader says Modesto Bee
Report: As cases surge, Calif struggles to slow COVID-19 in Latino communities
Fresno Bee
Gov. Gavin Newsom calls them the unsung heroes of the California economy in dangerous times. They are the workers, many of them Latino, who can’t afford to shelter in place. They harvest crops, work shoulder to shoulder in factories, prep food in restaurant kitchens and put roofs on houses.
U.S. Regulator Greenlights Becton Dickinson’s Rapid Antigen Test for COVID-19
New York Times
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted emergency use authorization to Becton Dickinson and Co for a COVID-19 antigen test that can be administered at the point of care and produce results within 15 minutes, the company said on Monday.
See also:
● New CDC test can detect flu and COVID-19 at the same time Fresno Bee
Young Americans Are Partying Hard and Spreading Covid-19 Quickly
Bloomberg
Covid-19 is increasingly a disease of the young, with the message to stay home for the sake of older loved ones wearing off as the pandemic wears on.
Human Services:
Fresno hospitals ‘challenged’ by rising coronavirus needs
Fresno Bee
Two of Fresno’s largest hospitals are bracing for what they believe could be a substantial increase in COVID-19 admissions as the number of positive tests in the surrounding county continues to rise.
See also:
● Hospital staffing remains a concern in Kern Kern Sol News
Clinica Sierra Vista to test only patients with COVID-19 symptoms
Bakersfield Californian
With what it called a dramatic increase in coronavirus cases in the Central Valley, Clinica Sierra Vista announced it will now only test patients who have COVID-19 symptoms. People who believe they have been exposed to someone who is positive, but aren’t showing symptoms, will be directed to public health locations, according to a Clinica news release.
As Overhaul Of Calif’s Mental Health Spending Gets Shelved, One Mother Pushes For Reform
Capital Public Radio
Walking down a stark grey hallway in the Rio Cosumnes Correctional Center in February, Lisa pauses at a window to look at the gated courtyard below. She wonders how often her son is allowed to go outside.
Commentary: Efforts to silence public health officials must stop
CalMatters
Public health leaders must be free to follow the science where it leads, and speak uncomfortable truths.
Valley Voices: CEOs of Valley Children’s, Community Medical to Fresno: Do your part to slow COVID-19
Fresno Bee
The COVID-19 pandemic isn’t over yet. With the number of cases, hospitalizations and deaths on the rise, hospitals need your help to slow the spread of this virus. As our communities and businesses begin to resume operations, most of the Central Valley continues to experience rising numbers of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations. In fact, of the growing number of California counties currently on the “watch list” for accelerating rates of COVID-19, several are in the Central Valley.
IMMIGRATION
abc10
Fleets of skywriting planes will leave artist-created messages in San Diego, Los Angeles and Orange County skies Friday above immigration detention centers, courts and historically significant landmarks in an effort to call attention to the detention of immigrants.
LAND USE/HOUSING
Land Use:
See where a controversial quarry expansion could occur
Fresno Bee
CEMEX Rockfield Quarry on Friant Road has applied with Fresno County to expand their operation near the San Joaquin River by drilling and blasting a 600-foot deep pit.
Housing:
Coronavirus hasn’t halted progress on two new local homeless shelters
Bakersfield Californian
After a successful launch, Kern County’s new homeless shelter has begun to double its capacity. Operators say that despite coronavirus limitations, the shelter has exceeded expectations and shows no signs of slowing down.
Housing for workers: Agency will turn 186-room Modesto hotel into apartments
Modesto Bee
The Stanislaus Regional Housing Authority has purchased the Clarion Inn Conference Center and will renovate the 186-room Modesto hotel into studio apartments for retail workers, restaurant servers and other moderate-income workers.
PUBLIC FINANCES
With Calif’s single-use bag ban back, you’ll be paying for grocery sacks again
Mercury News
Get ready to pack your own reusable bags again, or pay for 10 cents for store bags when you go shopping, if you aren’t already. Gov. Gavin Newsom’s April 22 suspension of the state’s single-use bag ban expired June 22, and stores are eliminating their interim free-bag policies.
Just one Calif state union didn’t reach a pay-cut deal with Newsom by deadline
Sacramento Bee
All California state worker unions except for one reached pay-cut deals with Gov.
California Budget & Policy Center
The California Budget & Policy Center team is providing you our First Look analysis of the 2020-21 state budget enacted by the Legislature and Governor Newsom.
TRANSPORTATION
How do you stop the spread of COVID-19 on a bus?
Fresno Bee
A team of researchers from Fresno State and UC Merced use colored smoke to study the spread and mitigation of COVID-19 in buses and other public transportation Wednesday, June 24, 2020 in Selma.
Survey: Fresno metro pilot protected bikeway plan
If you live in the Fresno metro area, be sure to fill out the survey on a pilot protected bikeway plan.
Highway 180 closed near Squaw Valley as crews battle wildfire
Fresno Bee
Highway 180 near Squaw Valley is closed as crews battle a wildfire, Cal Fire said late Sunday afternoon. Nicknamed the Kings Fire, flames were burning brush near Kings Canyon Road and Dunlap Road just east of Squaw Valley.
Local travel and tourism takes huge hit from COVID-19 lockdowns
Bakersfield Californian
Expectations were high when Home2 Suites by Hilton opened in Bakersfield two days before the turn of the new year. Travel and tourism were on the upswing, and the city was projecting another record year in the local hospitality industry.
Bullet train, moving slowly, hits another bump
Capitol Weekly
For more than a decade, California’s bullet train has faced obstacle after obstacle. The latest hurdle: the pandemic.
WATER
Millerton Lake sees large crowds on 4th of July with new guidelines
abc30
Cars filled up the Millerton Lake parking area as people with boats and jet skis and beach toys made their way into the water. “The weather is nice, it is a little getaway,” says Ajmer Armendariz.
Watch as 98,000 bottles of water are donated to help homeless get through the summer heat
Modesto Bee
Bonney Plumbing and Markstein Beverage Company teamed up Thursday, June 25, 2020, to donate 48 pallets of bottled water to Loaves and Fishes, a non-profit that provides resources to the homeless in Sacramento.
California megadrought? Not if you look at precipitation
Los Angeles Times
If you want to know what climate change means for California’s water supply, consider the last two Februaries. In 126 years of statewide record-keeping, you can’t find a drier February than the one we just experienced. But February 2019 was the third-wettest on record.
“Xtra”
After coronavirus, some Fresno-area casinos made big changes. Will more casinos follow?
Fresno Bee
Tachi Palace Casino Resort will snuff out indoor smoking beginning Friday. The new policy comes a month after Table Mountain Casino implemented the same smoking ban. Table Mountain’s policy coincided with the casino’s early-June reopening following a coronavirus shutdown in mid-March.