POLICY & POLITICS
North SJ Valley:
Stanislaus school start is iffy. Modesto cases hit 1,000
Modesto Bee
Stanislaus County deaths remained at 45 as of Tuesday. The number of residents testing positive rose to 2,889, according to the county Health Services Agency. Another 33,946 people have tested negative. The 16.75% rate of infection rose from 12.62% the day before.
See also:
● Stanislaus County is hammered by the coronavirus. Will schools reopen in August? Modesto Bee
Merced Sheriff’s New Tune: COVID-19 Is Bad, Wear a Mask
GV Wire
Merced County Sheriff Vern Warnke is singing a different tune about COVID-19 health risks as the number of cases in his county explodes.
Central SJ Valley:
These Central Valley congressmen have stakes in businesses that accepted PPP loans
Fresno Bee
Two San Joaquin Valley members of Congress and one former lawmaker seeking a return to elected office are affiliated with businesses that participated in the small-business lending program known as PPP, or Payment Protection Program.
How COVID-19 may cause Fresno’s Latino community to lose out on big money, resources
Fresno Bee
“That has a significant impact on a child’s education and their health.”
Tulare COVID-19 spike continues with 9 deaths
Fresno Bee
The central San Joaquin Valley is at an all-time high of patients who have been hospitalized by COVID-19. Three-hundred fifty-eight people were in the hospital due to the coronavirus across the six counties on Tuesday, according to the California Department of Public Health. The previous high for the area was 326, reported on Monday.
Here’s what Clovis leaders are saying about coronavirus masks. What will residents do?
Fresno Bee
The Clovis City Council is setting one thing straight: they will wear a mask to help slow the coronavirus spread. The council posted the reasons on their Facebook page Wednesday morning.Standing side-by-side wearing face masks, the five-member council posed for a picture.
See also:
● Clovis City Council Encourages Mask Coverings in Clovis Clovis RoundUp
Clovis set for low-income apartments to help homeless. How much will it cost to build?
Fresno Bee
An empty lot in Clovis could be the new site of a low-income apartment complex that would help also house homeless residents. The Butterfly Gardens project from the Illinois-based developer group UPholdings could begin construction by March 2021. But the developer still needs to secure funding.
Bitwise co-founder, CEO Irma Olguin Jr. featured in Forbes magazine
MSN
The work of Bitwise Industries and its co-founder and CEO, Irma Olguin Jr., has landed in Forbes magazine.
South SJ Valley:
Some Kern prisons have been impacted by COVID-19
Bakersfield Californian
A handful of Kern County prisons haven’t been spared as COVID-19 has spread like wildfire through some California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation institutions.
New Kings County Grand Jury sworn in
Hanford Sentinel
Traditions may be forced to change during these uncertain times, but one institution that remains the same is the Kings County Grand Jury. Inside a Kings County Superior courtroom and held concurrently via video teleconference Monday afternoon, members of the 2019-2020 grand jury were relieved of their duties and the new 2020-2021 members were selected and sworn in.
ABC23
Assemblyman Vince Fong was in the spotlight for Wednesday’s “Sit-n-Sip” virtual meeting put on by the Taft Chamber of Commerce. Fong said he believes there needs to be more consultation between state and local leaders when it comes to getting kids back in the classroom this fall.
State:
California sets record for most coronavirus cases in a single day
LA Times
The coronavirus outbreak continued to worsen in California this week, with 9,500 infections recorded on Tuesday — the most new cases reported in a single day since the pandemic began — and triple-digit fatalities that sent the statewide death toll past 6,500.
See Also:
● California breaks record with more than 9,000 new coronavirus cases in a day SF Chronicle
● Newsom puts brave face on California’s coronavirus surge CalMatters
● Gov. Newsom announces more COVID-19 resources coming to California as cases increase KGET 17
A grim tally: Newsom puts brave face on California’s COVID-19 surge
CALmatters
After being the first state to impose a stay-at-home order, California faces a battery of grim statistics as the state reopened – and is now poised to potentially send millions of children back to school next month.
See also:
● California ‘surge’ hospitals are costly, but how much? Associated Press
Editorial: Calif leaders betray Black & Latino communities with COVID-19 testing shortage
Sac Bee
California leaders betray Black and Latino communities with COVID-19 testing shortage.
When will Calif enter Phase 4 of reopening? Don’t hold your breath, experts warn
abc30
Gov. Gavin Newsom has released guidelines for almost every type of business in California to reopen amid thecoronavirus pandemic, from restaurants to movie theaters to miniature golf. And before last week’s surge rewound the clock on reopening a bit, pretty much the whole state had moved far into Phase 3 of reopening.
See Also:
● California is preparing for another surge in COVID-19 hospitalizations, Newsom says abc30
● U.S. passes 3 million cases, 26 California counties on state watch list SF Chronicle
‘We must sing’: Churches push back on Calif song, mask orders as coronavirus surges
Fresno Bee
Days after the state ordered churches across California to discontinue singing and chanting, citing concerns amid the worsening coronavirus pandemic that these activities increase the likelihood of spreading the contagious disease, Sunday services at some Sac-area places of worship pressed on with unmasked singing anyway.
She once called herself Calif’s ‘top cop.’ Where is Kamala Harris on police reform now?
Sac Bee
For years, Kamala Harris proudly boasted she was California’s “top cop.” She touted that reputation at the last Democratic National Convention, telling a NY delegation breakfast “I now stand before you as the top cop of the biggest state in the country.
OPINION: Calif’s Citizen Redistricting Commission is erasing Latinos. That’s unacceptable
Fresno Bee
Ten years ago, the California Legislature put the Voters First Act on the statewide ballot. It was one of the nation’s earliest, boldest efforts to eliminate gerrymandering and guarantee fairness in our political system.
Walters: Chaos in State unemployment insurance program
CALmatters
Long before the COVID-19 shredded California’s economy, the state’s unemployment insurance program was deeply troubled.
Federal:
3 Million Cases: Coronavirus Continues To Surge Across U.S.
VPR
The U.S. has reported more than 3 million coronavirus cases as of Wednesday morning, with all but a handful of states struggling to control outbreaks of COVID-19. One million of those cases have been confirmed over the past month — part of a wave of infection that began after many states started to reopen their economies in May.
See also:
● U.S. passes 3 million reported coronavirus cases as debate rages over plans to reopen schoolsWash Post
● Valley Voices: How the far right’s political actors are behind the resurgence of COVID-19 Fresno Bee
Trump Embraces School Re-openings as Campaign Issue
Wall Street Journal
President’s team hopes to court voters, particularly suburban women, by calling for return to in-person instruction; the strategy carries risks.
See also:
● Ad Watch: the Trump campaign’s ‘defunding the police’ ad Politifact
What happens if President Trump contracts COVID-19?
Brookings
With President Trump’s near-refusal to wear protective gear, unwillingness to socially distance, and commitment to holding in-person rallies, it is entirely possible that he could contract COVID-19. John Hudak explains the procedures that are in place to deal with a variety of scenarios that protect the president, the integrity of the office, and the continuity of government should he fall ill.
Trump Sets Date To End WHO Membership Over Its Handling Of Virus
VPR
The U.S. has sent a letter officially notifying the United Nations that it is leaving the World Health Organization, starting the formal process of withdrawal that President Trump first threatened in April when he halted funding to WHO. In an email to reporters, a U.N. spokesman confirmed that it received the notification: “On 6 July 2020, the United States of America notified the Secretary-General … of its withdrawal from the World Health Organization, effective on 6 July 2021.”
See also:
· WHO reverses, says COVID-19 can be airborne indoors TheHill
Editorial: We need a national face mask mandate
LA Times
When it comes to face masks in the time of coronavirus, the United States is a confusing mess of patchwork policies. Some states, counties and cities require people to wear face coverings in certain public places; others do not.
See also:
● Some Americans refused to wear masks during the 1918 pandemic. Here’s how it worked out. TheHill
Supreme Court rules Trump isn’t automatically immune from criminal subpoenas
ABA Journal
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Thursday that President Donald Trump is not automatically and absolutely immune from state criminal subpoenas in a case seeking his financial records.
See also:
● Trump reacts to Supreme Court decisions on taxes, financial records Business Insider
● Opinion: Why conservative justices are more likely to defect Wash Post
Justices: Teachers at Religious Schools Not Protected By Fair Employment Laws
Capital Public Radio
The U.S. Supreme Court has carved out a major exception to the nation’s fair employment laws. By a 7-to-2 vote, the court ruled on Wednesday that the country’s civil rights laws barring discrimination on the job do not apply to most lay teachers at religious elementary schools.
See Also:
● Supreme Court Undercuts Access To Birth Control Under Obamacare Capital Public Radio
● Supreme Court upholds most of Trump rule to let religious employers end birth control coverageLA Times
● Supreme Court sides with religious conservatives on contraceptives, teacher job security SF Chronicle
Coronavirus Trackers:
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 LA Times
● Coronavirus Tracker SF Chronicle
● Coronavirus in the U.S.: Latest Map and Case Count NY Times
● How many coronavirus cases have been reported in each U.S. state? Politico
● Coronavirus Daily NPR
● Coronavirus tracked: the latest figures as the pandemic spreads Fin. Times
● Coronavirus in California by the numbers CalMatters
Grim projection: 200,000 dead by Election Day
Politico
As the United States surpasses 3 million coronavirus infections, forecasters are updating their models to account for the recent resurgence and reaching a grim consensus: the next few months are going to be bad.
Elections 2020:
State & local officials beg Congress to send more election funds ahead of Nov
TheHill
Top state and local election officials on Wednesday begged Congress to appropriate more election funding ahead of November to address COVID-19 challenges.
Election Experts Warn of November Disaster
PEW
“The coronavirus has really laid bare the cracks in our system.”
2020 Could Be The New Year Of The Woman … For The GOP
FiveThirtyEight
More women ran for office in 2018 than ever before, which led to a record number of women in Congress. Overall, the share of House and Senate seats held by women increased by 4 percentage points, from 20 to 24 percent — adding more women to the ranks than in any other election cycle since 1992.
Tulsa Official: Trump Rally ‘Likely’ Caused COVID-19 Surge
Time
President Donald Trump’s campaign rally in Tulsa that drew thousands of people in late June, along with large protests that accompanied it, “likely contributed” to a dramatic surge in new coronavirus cases, Tulsa City-County Health Department Director Dr. Bruce Dart said Wednesday.
See also:
● Health official: Trump rally ‘likely’ source of virus surge SF Gate
Partisanship Drives Latest Shift in Race Relations Attitudes
Monmouth University Polling Institute
Republicans have turned negative while non-Republicans have held firm in their support of the movement sparked by the death of George Floyd and other incidents involving racial justice.
How United Are Democrats? A 96-0 Data Point Offers a Hint
NY Times
Polling shows Biden is not facing any serious defections from his left flank.
As voting rolls plunge amid pandemic, progressives try to reinvent the registration drive
LA Times
While some progressives are bullish about the outlook for the November election, Tatenda Musapatike surveys the political landscape and sees masses of unregistered voters who were supposed to be on the rolls by now, but for the pandemic.
George Will | Calif’s Karen Bass is Biden’s running mate if he wants to lead us to calmer days
Wash Post
The daughter of a letter-carrier father and a homemaker mother, Bass grew up in the decidedly nonaffluent half of her district, which includes the posh Century City area. Her public career has revolved around what will be 2020’s two central issues: health care and criminal justice reform.
Other:
Opinion: The vibrant local-newspaper industry is vanishing, leaving our very democracy in peril.
Wash Post
Over her long career as a journalist, Margaret Sullivan has watched the decline of local news with growing alarm
You Can Get Kicked Out of a Jury Pool For Supporting Black Lives Matter
The Marshall Project
A California appeals court is going to decide.
AGRICULTURE/FOOD
A Big Rat in Congress Helped Calif Farmers in Their War Against Invasive Species
InsideClimate News
The state faces a massive threat from invaders—like the nutria, a swamp rat from South America—that threaten crops and the environment.
Visalia restaurants to be allowed access to sidewalks, parking
Business Journal
In order to assist restaurants impacted by state and local public health orders on Covid-19, the City of Visalia has implemented an immediate measure in which restaurants may apply for temporary conditional use permits allowing the use of portions of the public right of way for dining service.
Dutch Bros coffee shop in Fresno closed after employee tests positive for coronavirus
Fresno Bee
Employees at another Dutch Bros in the central San Joaquin Valley also recently tested positive for COVID-19.
UC Riverside discovers first effective treatment for citrus-destroying disease
UC Riverside News
UC Riverside scientists have found the first substance capable of controlling Citrus Greening Disease, which has devastated citrus farms in Florida and also threatens California.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE/FIRE/PUBLIC SAFETY
Crime:
After more than month, DA says no charges in Visalia Jeep incident at BLM protest
Fresno Bee
After more than a month of investigation and review, the Tulare County District Attorney’s Office on Wednesday said it will not file any charges related to an incident in which a Jeep struck two women during a Visalia Black Lives Matter protest.
See Also:
● Tulare County DA finds no evidence that either BLM protester was ‘run over’ by Jeep Visalia Times Delta
Public Safety:
State cuts pay for Calif Highway Patrol officers despite contract protections
Sac Bee
California Highway Patrol officers are taking a pay cut along with the rest of the state’s workforce despite special protections that were in their contract.
CHP is whiter than Calif. Its first Black commissioner wants to diversify its ranks
Fresno Bee
The Calif Highway Patrol’s first Black commissioner oversees a department that is whiter than the state, and he says he wants to change that. The Highway Patrol’s uniformed officers were 63.6% white at the end of December, according to figures the department keeps. Whites make up 37% of California’s overall population, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Merced Sheriff’s New Tune: COVID-19 Is Bad, Wear a Mask
GV Wire
Merced County Sheriff Vern Warnke is singing a different tune about COVID-19 health risks as the number of cases in his county explodes.
Some Kern prisons have been impacted by COVID-19
Bakersfield Californian
A handful of Kern County prisons haven’t been spared as COVID-19 has spread like wildfire through some California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation institutions.
Sac Bee
In the aftermath of George Floyd’s murder, a majority of Americans woke up and became supporters of the Black Lives Matter movement. There is no turning back the tide: the systemic racism that corrupts American society is going to be dismantled by this new majority, and policing as we know it is going to be irrevocably altered
Unfair policing of African Americans a ‘widespread phenomenon,’ AG Barr says
ABC News
The nation’s top law enforcement officer sat down for an ABC News exclusive.
Fire:
This strong wildfire message shows how dangerous fire season has become
Sac Bee
In 2018, the most destructive wildfire season in California history struck with more than 8,000 fires throughout the state. Placer County Sheriff’s Office knows the devastation fires cause and shows just how dangerous fire season has become.
How to fight the two perils of a Calif summer: A pandemic meets fire season
Sac Bee
California’s fire season is here following a dry winter. How do we fight blazes amid a pandemic?
ECONOMY/JOBS
Economy:
Bitwise co-founder, CEO Irma Olguin Jr. featured in Forbes magazine
MSN
The work of Bitwise Industries and its co-founder and CEO, Irma Olguin Jr., has landed in Forbes magazine.
Fresno Bee
The long-awaited Hobby Lobby store in Clovis has set an opening date. The store will open Thursday, July 9 at 9 a.m. for customers age 60 and older and people who are at-risk of complications from COVID-19, and 10 a.m. for the general public.
Jobs:
Fresno company gets $2.3M federal grant to help give ex inmates a ‘second chance’ at life
Fresno Bee
A Fresno-area solar energy company has been named at the recipient of a $2.3 million grant to train formerly incarcerated people and help them re-enter society, according to a Tuesday news release from the U.S. Department of Labor.
‘Devastated’: As Layoffs Keep Coming, Hopes Fade That Jobs Will Return Quickly
VPR
From airlines to paper mills, the job news is grim, and there are growing signs it won’t be getting better anytime soon. On Thursday, the Labor Department reported nearly 2.4 million new applications for state and federal unemployment benefits last week. And United Airlines is warning that it may have to furlough as many as 36,000 employees this fall. Demand for air travel has collapsed as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
Walters: Chaos in State unemployment insurance program
CALmatters
Long before the COVID-19 shredded California’s economy, the state’s unemployment insurance program was deeply troubled.
New unemployment claims fell to 1.3 million last week
Politico
New unemployment claims fell to 1.3 million last week, the Labor Department reported Thursday.
See Also:
● United Airlines to furlough up to 36,000 frontline employees in October
● abc30
● United Airlines warns 36,000 workers they could be laid off Bakersfield Californian
● United Airlines, big SFO employer, may lay off 36,000 workers SF Chronicle
Working parents are key to COVID-19 recovery
Brookings
Until children physically return to schools and childcare programs, jumpstarting the U.S. economy will be a tall order. In a new report, Nicole Bateman sheds light on the regions and demographic groups that have been hit hardest by the closure of schools and childcare centers during the COVID-19 pandemic and outlines ways for policymakers to support working parents.
EDUCATION
K-12:
How Clovis Unified Trustees Are Elected Is Under the Microscope
GV Wire
Community activist Chris Milton says Clovis Unified School District is breaking state law and failing to provide true representation to residents by continuing to elect trustees at large instead of by area.
Ed Lab: Fresno-area teachers face major challenges with distance learning
Fresno Bee
When classes abruptly ended in March because of the coronavirus outbreak, many teachers didn’t know that month would be the last time they saw their students for the rest of the school year.
Newsom hopes California schools won’t be delayed by virus
Bakersfield Californian
Surging coronavirus cases in California prompted a warning on Wednesday from the nation’s most populous county of a possible delay to classroom instruction in public schools next month — a setback Gov. Gavin Newsom said he hopes to avoid by convincing more people to wear face coverings and stay away from gatherings.
See also:
● Newsom says reopening of California schools to be based on safety, not pressure from Trump LA Times
● Gov. Newsom calls for school reopenings to be decided by local education, health departmentsPublic CEO
A Turning Point: School Resource Officers and State Policy
EdNote
In response to national protests against racism and police brutality sparked by the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis, several school districts across the country have ended their relationships with local police departments.
Trump wants schools fully reopened. Is that possible for Fresno-area campuses?
Fresno Bee
As the Trump Administration this week pushed for schools to fully reopen in the fall, coronavirus hospitalizations climbed to their highest levels in the central San Joaquin Valley. However, parents who spoke with The Bee said they were worried about sending their children back to school in six weeks.
See Also:
● Trump threatens to cut federal aid if schools don’t reopen abc30
● Pence says CDC changing school reopening guidelines after Trump called them ‘tough and expensive’ Visalia Times Delta
● White House Stumbles Over How Best To Reopen Schools, As Trump Blasts CDC Guidance VPR
● Trump threatens to cut federal aid if schools don’t reopen LA Times
● With pressure and threats, Trump pushes to fully reopen schools. Schools say: Not so fast. Wash Post
● C.D.C. to Revise Guidelines for Reopening Schools After Trump Attacks Its Recommendations NY Times
● CDC won’t revise school opening guidelines after Trump criticism TheHill
● CDC will issue new guidance on school openings, Pence says, after criticism from Trump Wash Post
● CDC Moves to Reissue School Reopening Guidelines Hours After Trump Threatens to Cut AidNewsweek
● Trump Embraces School Reopenings as Campaign Issue Wall Street Journal
● Editorial: Trump has zero understanding of what it will take to safely reopen U.S. schools LA Times
● Opinion: Why Congress should take action now for schools to open in the fall TheHill
Johns Hopkins launches school COVID-19 opening plan tracker
Modesto Bee
How will schools reopen during the coronavirus pandemic? Johns Hopkins has a new way to track the policies.
School-closing costs are crushing children and parents
AEI
Whether schools reopen this fall is a test of the United States’ seriousness as a nation. This is one test that children are counting on adults to pass.
When It Comes To Reopening Schools, ‘The Devil’s In The Details,’ Educators Say
VPR
Jeanne Norris is a teacher, the wife of a teacher and the mother of an 8-year-old in St. Louis. She’d love to send her son back to school in August. But, she says, “I feel like my government and my fellow citizens have put me in a position where it’s not really in the best interests of our family.” Norris has a long list of reasons why. She says she has personally taught in buildings where ventilation systems are outdated and malfunctioning, and even soap for handwashing is in short supply.
Effective Anti-Racist Education Requires More Diverse Teachers, More Training
VPR
In the wake of ongoing protests for racial justice, young people in America are demanding change from their schools. Petitions are circulating all over the country in support of creating anti-racist education. One petition, written by an alumni of Xavier College Preparatory in Phoenix, Ariz., calls on the district to “review and advance its curriculum, goals, and objectives as they relate to social justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion.”
Higher Ed:
UC System names its first Black president, appointing Ohio State leader to top role
Fresno Bee
The University of California Board of Regents appointed its first Black president on Tuesday, naming former Ohio State University President Michael V. Drake to lead the nine-campus system. Drake is also the first person of color to serve in the role.
See Also:
● UC system names former Ohio State head Michael Drake as next president abc30
● University of California names first Black president in system’s 152-year-history: Michael V. Drake to succeed Janet Napolitano Visalia Times Delta
● Michael Drake Will Be The First Black President In U.C. System’s 152-Year History VPR
UC will sue Trump Admin over new international student visa rules
CALmatters
The University of California will sue the federal government over new visa guidelines that would force international students to leave the United States if they are enrolled in a college or academic program that only offers courses online, university officials said Wednesday.
See also:
● CSUB reacts to ICE’s new visa guidelines for international students Bakerfisied Now
CSU chancellor says system could go virtual for entire academic year
EdSource
Chancellor Tim White urges fed aid to help colleges cope with pandemic over the long-term.
See also:
● Event: New Realities for Higher Education PPIC
Dr. Denise Seabert named dean of the College of Health and Human Services
Fresno State News
Dr. Denise Seabert, whose research and academic background is in health education and teacher preparation, has been named dean of the College of Health and Human Services at Fresno State, effective July 1.
Fresno-area community colleges need more students to enroll this fall. Here’s why
Fresno Bee
As the coronavirus pandemic wears on, State Center Community College District is beginning to get a better look at where its finances are after anticipating drastic cuts to funding just two months ago.
State Center Community College District aims to hire more diverse contractors for satellite campus
ABC30 Fresno
Work is underway to bring a new community college campus to southwest Fresno, but first, they need to find a contractor.
Local administrators react to recent ICE announcement on international students
abc30
Just as universities nationwide are deciding whether or not to transition over to virtual classes amid the coronavirus pandemic, thousands of foreign students could soon find themselves in a precarious situation.
Become a lawyer without taking bar exam? Calif considers drastic step as pandemic surges
Fresno Bee
Law students and legal experts are asking the state Supreme Court to cancel the exam this year and invoke ‘diploma privileges’
Survey: Current and incoming California college students report worry over finances, online classes
EdSource
In a California Student Aid Commission and UC Davis Education Lab survey, just over 90% of current college students and 82% of recent high school graduates reported concern about the shift to online classes.
The Ivy League Says No Sports Until 2021
Wall Street Journal
The decision postpones, and possibly cancels, football and other fall athletics, setting the stage for bigger college sports bodies to face the same decision
ENVIRONMENT/ENERGY
Environment:
California’s pollution regulators go toe-to-toe with Trump. Watchdog says they come up short
Fresno Bee
A California environmental advocacy group urged the state’s air pollution regulator and agriculture department to do more for minority communities in an annual report card it published last week.
Warszawski: Finally, some good news: California condors make a welcome return in Sierra Nevada
Fresno Bee
You never forget your first encounter with a California condor. Mine came in 2005, back when Pinnacles National Park near Salinas was still a national monument. Two friends and I hiked up the High Peaks Trail with the hope of seeing one of these magnificent, endangered birds with their 9½-foot wingspans.
See Also:
● Endangered California condors in Sequoia National Park for the first time in 50 years LA Times
Opinion: How Biden Could Undo Trump’s Damage to Environment
Time
Donald Trump has smashed a lot of environmental china in four years. To name a few instances: he pulled out of the 2015 Paris Agreement (a move that becomes official on July 6, 2021); loosened automotive-mileage and power-plant-emission standards; and sought to eliminate the protected status of the sage grouse, opening up 9 million acres to oil and gas extraction.
Energy:
CRC negotiates yet another deadline extension
Bakersfield Californian
Local oil producer California Resources Corp. said Wednesday afternoon it’s negotiated another deadline extension with its biggest lenders and now has until 8:59 p.m. Sunday to make payments totaling about $30 million.
Power Pioneer Invents New Battery That’s 90% Cheaper Than Lithium-Ion
Bloomberg
Lithium-ion batteries play a central role in the world of technology, powering everything from smartphones to smart cars, and one of the people who helped commercialize them says he has a way to cut mass production costs by 90% and significantly improve their safety.
HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES
Health:
Fresno County over 7,000 coronavirus cases. Death toll spikes in region
Fresno Bee
Fresno County passed 7,000 positive cases of the coronavirus on Wednesday after health officials reported 357 new cases and three new deaths. The county has seen 84 fatal cases of the 7,281 positive cases of COVID-19 since the pandemic hit the region in March.
See Also:
● Tulare County reports nine new COVID-19 deaths, 123 new cases Visalia Times Delta
● More than 200 new COVID-19 cases in Kern reported Wednesday Bakersfield Californian
● Merced County reports 12th death related to coronavirus, 79 new infections Merced Sun-Star
Fresno State News
Students and graduates prepare to address Valley health care needs.
See also:
● Nurses on the way Fresno State News
● Shielding Heroes Fresno State News
● Turning to Telehealth Fresno State News
Scientists trace more contagious COVID-19 mutation to see how it dominated the world
Sac Bee
Several times since the coronavirus pandemic began, scientists from around the world announced that they’ve discovered new mutations in the virus’ genetic material, sending shivers down the spines of a scared yet confused public.
Fever Checks Are a Flawed Way To Flag COVID-19 Cases. Enter Smell Tests
KQED
Of all the nose-to-toes symptoms of COVID-19, the loss of the sense of smell — also known as anosmia — could work particularly well as an add-on to temperature checks, significantly increasing the proportion of infected people identified by screening in airports, workplaces, and other public places.
Toxic hand sanitizers recalled for risk of methanol, FDA says
CBS News
Two brands of hand sanitizer are being recalled by their manufacturers due to methanol, according to the Food and Drug Administration. The recalls come after the agency warned consumers against buying more than a dozen brands of hand sanitizer that tested positive for the toxic substance, including the two under recall.
New Clues To ALS & Alzheimer’s From Physics
VPR
The same process that causes dew drops to form on a blade of grass appears to play an important role in Alzheimer’s and other brain diseases. The process, known as phase transition, is what allows water vapor to condense into liquid water, or even freeze into solid ice. That same sort of process allows brain cells to constantly reorganize their inner machinery.
Editorial: We need a national face mask mandate
LA Times
When it comes to face masks in the time of coronavirus, the United States is a confusing mess of patchwork policies. Some states, counties and cities require people to wear face coverings in certain public places; others do not.
See also:
● Some Americans refused to wear masks during the 1918 pandemic. Here’s how it worked out. TheHill
Human Services:
Local hospitals halt elective procedures as COVID-19 cases climb
Bakersfield Californian
Two Bakersfield hospitals have temporarily stopped offering elective medical procedures in order to remain responsive to more urgent cases as local COVID-19 hospitalizations continue to rise and push local medical centers toward to their physical limits.
California ‘surge’ hospitals are costly, but how much?
Bakersfield Californian
With coronavirus cases rising fast, California is planning to keep open several makeshift hospitals that have seen few patients but cost a bundle — in one case more than $4 million to prepare and staff a facility that only treated two people over nearly two months.
See also:
● Hospital staffing an emerging concern in Kern’s COVID-19 effort Bakersfield Californian
Bakersfield Memorial Hospital receives $15 million from Children’s Hospital Program
Bakersfield Californian
Bakersfield Memorial Hospital has been awarded a $15 million grant from the Children’s Hospital Program of 2018 to advance comprehensive pediatric services in Kern County, according to a news release from the hospital.
Capital Public Radio
Nicole Stefko and her wife have been staying close to home these past few months. Stefko, 35, does the groceries because her wife has a heart condition that compromises her immune system. But beyond that, the Sac couple sticks to their neighborhood.
Abandoning list prices in Medicaid drug reimbursement did not affect spending
AEI
Abandoning using drug list prices as a policy to reimburse pharmacies in state fee-for-service Medicaid programs has had minimal effects on overall Medicaid drug spending.
How a coronavirus vaccine will get to market
PBS NewsHour
With new daily case counts of novel coronavirus on the rise in nearly every state, as well as Puerto Rico, the consequences of reopening much of the country without first stopping the spread has made one thing clear: An unlocked United States will likely continue to suffer from the deadly virus until a safe and efficient vaccine is finally distributed to a majority of the population.
Planning For End-Of-Life Care Is More Crucial Than Ever. Here’s How
VPR
The coronavirus pandemic has been a stark reminder “that things can change in a minute — and so you’ve got to be prepared,” says Sunita Puri, medical director for palliative care at the Keck Medical Center at USC. One of the ways to do this is to decide what sorts of treatments you would want (or not want) in the case you became critically ill — and then document those wishes and share them with loved ones.
IMMIGRATION
US rule targets disease-stricken countries to deny asylum
Bakersfield Californian
The Trump administration on Wednesday proposed empowering border authorities to deny asylum to people from countries with widespread, deadly communicable disease, its latest in a string of regulations before the November elections to dramatically raise the bar on who qualifies for humanitarian protections.
See also:
● Trump Administration Proposes Denying Asylum to People Who Travel From Countries Where Contagious Disease Is Widespread Wall Street Journal
Arrests along Mexico border jump 40%, defying Trump Admin immigration crackdown
Wash Post
The number of migrants detained along the Mexico border rose 40 percent in June according to enforcement statistics published by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Citing the coronavirus pandemic, the Trump administration suspended normal immigration proceedings and vowed to quickly process most migrants and return them to Mexico in a matter of hours.
LAND USE/HOUSING
Land Use:
Feeling antsy? Camping returns to Sequoia, Kings Canyon with reservations
Visalia Times Delta
Sequoia and Kings Canyon national parks opened most campsites to visitors with reservations this week after being closed since March 20 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Swell of support for Hard Rock casino heard
Bakersfield Californian
A new casino development slated for south of Bakersfield received a flood of support during a public hearing the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs held Wednesday evening.
Housing:
Clovis set for low-income apartments to help homeless. How much will it cost to build?
Fresno Bee
An empty lot in Clovis could be the new site of a low-income apartment complex that would help also house homeless residents. The Butterfly Gardens project from the Illinois-based developer group UPholdings could begin construction by March 2021. But the developer still needs to secure funding.
PUBLIC FINANCES
Coronavirus stimulus checks, tax refunds and the IRS’ backlog hell
LA Times
Pandemic-related shutdowns, years of Congressional budget cuts and the effort required to push out more than 159 million stimulus checks have left the IRS facing a massive backlog. National Taxpayer Advocate Erin Collins estimated that 4.7 million unopened paper tax returns had accumulated as of mid-May.
GOP eyes narrowing second round of $1,200 stimulus payments
Wash Post
The White House and congressional Republicans are exploring whether to restrict the number of Americans receiving the next round of stimulus payments, as conservative lawmakers face internal pressure to limit the size of the next relief package.
Big bet: Why the country’s largest pension fund is getting into banking
CALmatters
How does the nation’s biggest public pension system pay down its debts amid a global economic collapse? One idea: Become a banker.
TRANSPORTATION
American Airlines restores Meadows Field air service to Dallas, Phoenix
Bakersfield Californian
The Kern County Department of Airports announced American Airlines’ restoration of air service this week at Meadows Field Airport. American has restarted two daily flights each to Dallas Fort Worth International Airport and Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, according to a news release from the department.
Opinion: Stop Building More Roads
NY Times
There’s a right way to do infrastructure. Why does America get it wrong?
WATER
Money to repair Central Valley canal in House bill. A large funding gap remains
Fresno Bee
South San Joaquin Valley farmers have a reason to celebrate this week: Democratic leaders in the House of Representatives appropriated $200 million to fix the Friant-Kern Canal. The bill also includes funding to repair the Delta-Mendota Canal and for two Northern California reservoirs.
Lack of Plumbing Makes Fighting COVID-19 Difficult
PPIC
For some Californians, lack of reliable access to running water is a barrier to regular handwashing and other means of reducing coronavirus spread.
“Xtra”
How will Disneyland characters social distance once park reopens? Here’s what we know
Modesto Bee
Disneyland in Anaheim, California, has postponed reopening its theme parks but when they do, there will be social distancing measures in place, including for Disney characters. Disneyland announced on June 25 that the planned reopening would be postponed.