June 10, 2020

10Jun

POLICY & POLITICS

North SJ Valley:

Coronavirus update: Stanislaus gyms, bars reopen Friday; latest on Yosemite 

Modesto Bee

The number of county residents who have died of the virus remained at 33 on Monday, according to its Health Services Agency. Positive tests stand at 937. Another 15,760 residents have tested negative. The positivity rate was 5.6%, unchanged from Sunday.

See also:

Stanislaus County will help cities during coronavirus. Here’s how much they’re getting

Modesto Bee

Stanislaus County supervisors gave approval Tuesday to make $15 million in federal CARES Act funding available for cities to cover eligible expenses of dealing with the coronavirus emergency.

Republican Tom McClintock rarely sides with liberal Democrats. Why this issue is different

Sacramento Bee

Rep. Tom McClintock is siding with some of Congress’ most outspoken liberals in an effort to overturn the “qualified immunity” that can protect police and other state and local officials from civil lawsuits.

SJ County supervisors OK increase in some fees

Stockton Record

Expect to pay more the next time you need a special county service such as landing your plane at Stockton Metropolitan Airport, staying overnight at San Joaquin General Hospital or getting a visit from an agricultural inspector.

Central SJ Valley:

‘It is unacceptable.’ Fresno residents call council to defund the police department 

Fresno Bee

Following the introduction of Fresno’s next proposed budget, the City Council heard citizens’ requests to cut the budget – if not entirely defund – the Police Department. The department’s budget was not actually part of the agenda on Tuesday, but it took the focus of the meeting. 

See Also:

Coronavirus updates: Fresno County on state watch list; What to expect when school starts

Fresno Bee

While the state continues with its economic reopening plans amid the coronavirus pandemic, the number of positive cases, hospitalizations and related deaths continues on a steady rise in the central San Joaquin Valley.

See also:

City of Clovis Allows Restaurants To Extend Outside Dining Into Public Spaces

Clovis Roundup

In an effort to help businesses like restaurants reopen and comply with social distancing guidelines, the Clovis City Council voted to approve an emergency order that would allow restaurants to extend their footprint into public spaces like sidewalks or parking lots.

South SJ Valley:

With Kern County’s coronavirus cases on the rise, worries of a backslide increase

Bakersfield Californian

With the average number of coronavirus cases climbing over the last several weeks, Kern County officials are watching and waiting in case state regulators force some industries to shut down after just recently reopening.

See also:

Local oil producers struggle despite modest price rebound

Bakersfield Californian

Even as oil prices continue to recover from their sharp drop earlier this year, two local petroleum producers are wrestling with financial challenges relating to tough market conditions during the coronavirus crisis. 

Mayor Goh says city to continue to review police practices, meet with community over equality concerns

KGET

Mayor Karen Goh said Tuesday the city will continue to review police practices and listen to residents’ concerns in the wake of protests sparked by the death of George Floyd, a black man who died after a white Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes. “By working together we will build trust, we will see change and we will create a stronger community,” Goh said in a recorded message.

KCSO responds to ‘8 Can’t Wait’ reform proposals

KBAK

Protesters nationwide continue pleading for police reform. A police reform effort called Campaign Zero introduced 8 Can’t Wait practices, with the goal to reduce police violence.

State:

Fresno, Tulare, Kings counties on state’s COVID-19 watch list

VPR
With a total of more than 200 deaths and 8,000 cases tallied so far, the burden of COVID-19 continues to grow in the San Joaquin Valley and foothills. This week, the rise in numbers has put three Valley counties on the state’s watch list. The state’s goal for each county is for less than 8 percent of all COVID-19 tests to turn out positive, a measure called the “positivity rate.” But in Fresno, Tulare and Kings Counties, the positivity rate is above 10 percent.

See also:

Masks from Newsom’s $1 billion coronavirus contract gain federal approval, allowing shipments

Fresno Bee

California will soon begin to receive shipments of N95 masks from China-based manufacturer BYD after federal regulators certified the products meet American standards, Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office announced Monday.

See Also: 

California health official resigns after receiving threats

Modesto Bee

The health officer for Southern California’s Orange County has resigned after receiving threats over her order for residents to wear face coverings when near others in public to protect against the coronavirus.

Defund the police? Some California Democrats ready to close state prisons

Sacramento Bee

Amid national protests over killings of unarmed black Americans and calls to “defund the police,” California Democrats said Tuesday the best way to reform the criminal justice system is to cut back funding for and to close state prisons.

See also:

California legislative leaders back state ‘sleeper hold’ ban

Bakersfield Californian

California’s Assembly speaker and other key lawmakers on Monday backed making it illegal statewide for police to use a type of neck hold that blocks the flow of blood to the brain, a proposal that appears to go beyond any other state.

State Budget Cuts Could Mean Lost Jobs In The San Joaquin Valley

VPR

Many people have lost their jobs due to the pandemic, but some have found assistance through a multi-million dollar state government program called Expanded Subsidized Employment, or ESE. However, Governor Gavin Newsom’s revised budget proposal cuts the funding to that program.

OPINION: Will Gov. Newsom’s plan to reopen California create larger, deadlier COVID-19 problem?

Sacramento Bee

Gov. Gavin Newsom is facing mounting pressure to loosen the state’s shelter-in-place order. Yet the danger to public health is as bad today as it was on March 19 when Newsom issued the order. The virus has not disappeared. The infection rate and hospitalizations have slowed only because the public agreed to avoid social contact.

Editorial:To dismantle systemic racism, California Legislature must let voters consider Prop. 209

Sacramento Bee

To dismantle systemic racism, California Legislature must let voters consider Prop. 209

Hiltzik: How a retracted coronavirus paper hurt research

Los Angeles Times

Call it the retraction that shook the coronavirus world.

Federal:

Feds Spend Billions On COVID-19 Contracts, Often Without Fully Competitive Bidding

VPR
When nurses and doctors across the country were struggling to treat coronavirus patients without enough protective gear, and the federal government was scrambling to find those supplies, Quedon Baul saw an opportunity.

Trump Says He’s Considering Ideas For Policing ‘In A Much More Gentle Fashion’

VPR

President Trump on Monday rejected calls to disband or defund police departments as a response to massive protests against police brutality, sparked by the May 25 killing of George Floyd by police.Trump made his comments while meeting with police union and other law enforcement officials Monday at the White House, along with U.S. Attorney General Bill Barr and some of his top aides. 

See also:

House Judiciary Hearing On Police Violence

VPR

The House Judiciary Committee is hearing testimony Wednesday on racial profiling and police brutality as the House prepares to vote on a wide-ranging set of police reforms proposed by Democrats. The hearing is the first public congressional meeting on policing following the killing of George Floyd by police in Minneapolis on May 25.

Trump Urges Healthcare Facilities To Re-Open In Areas With ‘No Evidence’ Of Coronavirus Rebound

Forbes

The Trump administration Tuesday issued guidelines for healthcare facilities on how to re-open to serve patients in “states and regions with no evidence of a rebound” of the coronavirus strain Covid-19.

Coronavirus Trackers:

Coronavirus (COVID-19) in California

Covid19.ca.gov

COVID-19 is a new illness that can affect your lungs and airways. It’s caused by a virus called coronavirus.

See also:

Elections 2020:

Trump close to resuming 2020 campaign rallies halted by coronavirus pandemic

abc30

President Donald Trump is aiming to resume campaign rallies in the coming weeks, though the locations and coronavirus precautions still are being worked out. Trump’s rally schedule came to a sudden halt three months ago when the COVID-19 pandemic largely shuttered the nation, but the president has been eager to get back on the campaign trail and resume the rallies that have been the hallmark of his political career.

See also:

Biden, Trump take opposing stands: One visits George Floyd family; the other meets with police

Los Angeles Times

As Joe Biden stood with the family of George Floyd on Monday in demanding police accountability, President Trump made clear where he stands, meeting with law enforcement officers and accusing Biden of undermining public safety.

See also:

Why Is Voting By Mail (Suddenly) Controversial? Here’s What You Need To Know

NPR

President Trump’s warnings of potential fraud don’t line up with what elections experts predict or with how most Americans feel about voting by mail. Here are the facts about mail ballots.

Republicans fear Trump’s weakened standing jeopardizes the party in November 

Washington Post

President Trump’s incendiary responses to racial injustice protests and the coronavirus pandemic have left him politically isolated and profoundly weakened less than five months from the election, raising alarms among many Republicans about the party’s prospects in November.

Balancing Privacy Concerns Around Facial Recognition

Forbes

There has been recent global uproar around facial recognition technology and whether it’s ethically sound. Its use without citizen consent could have potential safety benefits but is undoubtedly a violation of privacy and does in fact need stronger policy reinforcement.

Poll: More voters identify as moderate on social issues

TheHill

Four in ten voters overall identify as socially moderate, a new Hill-HarrisX poll finds.

Opinion: Memos for Biden and Trump on Race and Policing

Wall Street Journal

‘Law and order’ and ‘defund the police’ are both inadequate to America’s challenges.

See also:

Other:

Video: A Conversation with Secretary of State Alex Padilla

PPIC

Secretary of State Padilla talks with PPIC’s Mark Baldassare about addressing racial discrimination and discusses conducting a census count and an election during COVID-19. 

The nation’s racial justice protests are a pivotal moment for millennials and Gen Z

Brookings

After months in hibernation, America has woken up—especially the nation’s young, diverse millennial and Gen Z generations. 

How Public Opinion Has Moved on Black Lives Matter

New York Times

In the last two weeks, American voters’ support for the Black Lives Matter movement increased almost as much as it had in the preceding two years.

That Trump Tweet? Republicans Prefer Not to See It

New York Times

Even when presented with a printout of the president’s incendiary Twitter comment, Republicans toiled to avoid commenting.

See also:

Trump May Compare Himself to Nixon in 1968, but He Really Resembles Wallace

New York Times

The president has employed the same kind of inflammatory language as George Wallace did in the 1968 campaign. Richard Nixon ran that year seeking the middle between the Alabama governor and Hubert Humphrey.

Walters: Floyd protests challenge politicians

CalMatters

The tsunami of righteous indignation over the suffocation death of a black man, George Floyd, by a Minneapolis policeman, like all crises, creates both opportunity and peril for political figures.

Trump saying “I can’t breathe” in video isn’t referring to George Floyd

Politifact

Videos being posted in June 2020 on Facebook show President Donald Trump sarcastically saying “I can’t breathe,” but he wasn’t mocking George Floyd — he was poking fun of political rivals in the past.

Opinion: Fascism doesn’t need New York Times. It has Facebook and Google

Los Angeles Times

Last Wednesday, late into the afternoon, the New York Times published an op-ed essay in which Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) called for the deployment of active-duty military forces into U.S. cities with the slippery, panicked and dangerous intention of “restoring order.”

Opinion: From tragedy to opportunity: We could live better when today’s mayhem ends

Fox & Hounds

For most people in this locked-down, riot-scarred world, the future beckons unpleasantly. There is a growing sense that, economically, the 2020s may look more like the 1930s than some halcyon post-industrial future. “Dark days ahead,” suggests The Week. “This is what the end of the end of history looks like.”

Opinion: Abortion & Coronavirus: Culture of Life or Culture of Death?

National Review

Some of the language during these coronavirus times has been promising — Andrew Cuomo talking about the pricelessness of human life and all. But then some of the decisions have been grave, as the still-unfolding story of nursing home deaths makes clear. So how are we doing when it comes to having a culture of life? I talked with Jeanne Mancini from the March for Life Education and Defense Fund, John McCormack of NR/NRI, and Alexandra DeSanctis from NR (and formerly NRI, as one of our Buckley Fellows).

Commentary: The Coming Christian Reckoning

The American Conservative

Erick Erickson, the RedState founder and conservative talk show host, speaks a difficult truth to fellow conservative Christians. 

AGRICULTURE/FOOD

Crystal Creamery revamps its Modesto-made ice cream toward more natural ingredients

Modesto Bee

Crystal Creamery has gone back to basics at its ice cream plant in Modesto, switching out artificial ingredients for those closer to nature. Customers can find the new concoctions in pint and 48-ounce containers across all 29 flavors. 

This Fresno restaurant landed on a national list of 30 must-try black-owned eateries

Fresno Bee

BuzzFeed asked its readers to share their favorite black-owned restaurants.

Local restaurants continue to adjust, roll with punches during reopening efforts

Bakersfield Californian

Waiting for the check. What once was an inconvenience in the dining world has returned as more of an unintended welcomed return to some sense of normalcy.

Coronavirus outbreaks at 60 U.S. plants raise specter of more food shortages

Los Angeles Times

A caravan of vehicles decorated with black ribbons and memorial pictures crawled through Yakima, Wash., last week to mark the death of David Cruz, a 60-year-old fruit warehouse employee who died after contracting coronavirus. The county, a hub of agricultural activity where workers jam into often crowded factories to package apples and other foods, has the highest per-capita infection rate on the West Coast.

In absence of federal action, farm workers’ coronavirus cases spike

Politico

Coronavirus outbreaks among farm workers are popping up in rural communities across the country, sparking fears within the agriculture industry that cases will skyrocket as harvest season stretches into summer.

See also:

As Diners Flock to Delivery Apps, Restaurants Fear for Their Future

New York Times

While the apps say they are saving them in the pandemic, many restaurateurs say the opposite.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE/FIRE/PUBLIC SAFETY

Crime:

Judicial Council of California will vote to end coronavirus rules, including $0 bail

Fresno Bee

California courts leaders will decide this whether to end temporary emergency rules implemented throughout the state’s judicial system to slow the coronavirus spread, including a mandate that suspended cash bail for suspected lower-level offenders.

Police investigate officer-involved shooting in northeast Fresno

Fresno Bee

Fresno police continue to search for a weapon Tuesday and gather more information after an officer-involved shooting early Tuesday in northeast Fresno. The man who was shot is in the hospital with non-life threatening injuries, according to police spokesman Jeff La Blue.

Public Safety:

Defund the police? Some California Democrats ready to close state prisons

Sacramento Bee

Amid national protests over killings of unarmed black Americans and calls to “defund the police,” California Democrats said Tuesday the best way to reform the criminal justice system is to cut back funding for and to close state prisons.

See also:

‘Stop putting a knee on our clients’ necks!’ Public defenders call for justice reform

Sacramento Bee

In 2018, Darrel Richards’ family notified his public defender, Quoc To, of erratic and worrisome changes in his behavior. Soon thereafter, To convinced Richards to receive appropriate mental health treatment during a conversation at the Sacramento County Courthouse.

California correctional officers, staff at more prisons to be tested for COVID-19

Sacramento Bee

California is starting to require COVID-19 testing for workers at more prisons, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation announced Tuesday.

No Sign Of Antifa So Far In Justice Department Cases Brought Over Unrest

NPR

U.S. Attorney General William Barr has repeatedly blamed anti-fascist activists for the violence that has erupted during demonstrations over George Floyd’s death, but federal court records show no sign of so-called antifa links so far in cases brought by the Justice Department.

Judicial Council, Chief Justice Consider Ending Some Emergency Measures as California and Courts Expand Reopening

California Courts

The Judicial Council of California will consider ending three temporary emergency rules governing evictions, judicial foreclosures and an emergency bail schedule, as California begins a phased re-opening and courts restore services shuttered due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

How Federal Dollars Fund Local Police

VPR

Activists protesting police brutality are calling on cities and states to defund their police. Funding for local law enforcement now increasingly comes from the federal government. Federal departments ranging from the Department of Justice to the Department of Agriculture have grant programs aimed at hiring more police, equipping them, and constructing new police facilities.

See also:

OPINION: Here’s how to keep police from shielding ‘bad apples’ like George Floyd’s killer

Fresno Bee

Many Americans have been stunned by the depth of the nationwide outrage, and intensity of the protests and riots, following the death of George Floyd. As we’ve all seen on the viral video, Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin kept his knee on Floyd’s neck for nearly nine excruciating minutes before he died.

EDITORIAL: Let militia play army somewhere other than George Floyd protests

Modesto Bee

Volunteer militia members who turned out Saturday in Oakdale to keep in check a rumored Black Lives Matter event that never happened are nothing more than wannabe soldiers who put themselves and others in danger.

Fire: 

Hunters Fire near Mariposa 90% contained; evacuation orders lifted

Fresno Bee

An evacuation order on Monday afternoon was lifted for the area north of Mariposa where the Hunters Fire had burned 85 acres. Containment was at 90 percent contained Tuesday morning.

California wants to get fire coverage for burned-out towns. Here’s why watchdogs are worried

Sacramento Bee

After several years of catastrophic burns — and the insurance industry pulling back from some fire-prone communities — many California homeowners will face the upcoming fire season without proper coverage.

Crews increase Quail Fire containment in Solano County despite wind, Cal Fire says

Sacramento Bee

Fire crews have maintained the upper hand on the Quail Fire burning in Sonoma County, which did not grow in reported size Monday despite gusty winds in the day’s forecast.

ECONOMY/JOBS

Economy:

California movie theaters can begin reopening Friday after coronavirus closures

Fresno Bee

Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration added movie theaters to list of venues that can reopen with reduced capacity Friday, his office announced Monday.

See Also:

Wall Street hits the brakes after strong, weeks-long rally

Los Angeles Times

Wall Street hit the brakes Tuesday, a day after its remarkable, weeks-long rally brought the S&P 500 back to positive for the year and the Nasdaq to a record high. The S&P 500 was down 0.9%, as of 6:45 a.m. Eastern time, and on pace for its largest loss in three weeks. 

From Rent Freezes To Liquor Buybacks: How States Are Helping People Cope

VPR

Millions have lost their jobs during the coronavirus shutdowns, placing an unprecedented burden on public welfare programs designed to help people in these situations. For those people and others who are hurting financially as a result of the virus, it’s often the case that where you live determines what kind of help is available. An NPR analysis of state laws, executive orders and policy changes found uneven approaches by states on how to tackle that need. Here is an interactive tool to show you what could be available to you in your state.

WHO says there’s ‘real risk’ of second coronavirus wave as economies reopen

CNBC

Stringent public health measures have helped stem the transmission of the coronavirus, but there’s “every chance” of a resurgence as economies reopen, the chief scientist of the World Health Organization warned Tuesday. 

See also:

How Are Americans Paying Their Bills During the COVID-19 Pandemic?

RAND

The economic consequences of stay-at-home orders and precautionary quarantining are affecting U.S. households at every income level. One-third of Americans have lost income since the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic began, but how Americans approach paying their bills in the face of adversity differs by income level.[1]

Jobs:

Pandemic unemployment benefit is set to expire. Will a back-to-work bonus replace it?

Fresno Bee

In a few weeks, that extra $600 a week that California’s unemployed workers now get will be gone — and it’s unlikely Washington will revive it. To encourage people to return to work, Republican lawmakers and the White House are considering a plan to pay newly employed workers a bonus of $450 to $600 weekly for a few weeks.

See also:

Hobby Lobby is hiring as new stores get ready to open soon in Clovis and Fresno

Fresno Bee

Hobby Lobby in Clovis is hiring – which means it’s one step closer to opening. The popular craft and home decor store is taking over the former former Toys R Us at 1425 Shaw Ave. near Sunnyside Avenue.

State Budget Cuts Could Mean Lost Jobs In The San Joaquin Valley

VPR
Many people have lost their jobs due to the pandemic, but some have found assistance through a multi-million dollar state government program called Expanded Subsidized Employment, or ESE. However, Governor Gavin Newsom’s revised budget proposal cuts the funding to that program.

Fed says jobless rate to fall to 9.3% by year-end and 6.5% next year, latest signal that economic effects of pandemic may be easing

Washington Post

The Fed said in projections on Wednesday that it expects gross domestic product to fall by 6.5 percent for this year, but added the economy would grow again by 5 percent next year and 3.5 percent in 2022.

Coronavirus Obliterated Best African-American Job Market on Record

Wall Street Journal

The economic situation for black workers was fragile even before the downturn, which means recovery might be slower.

Employer’s Failure to Affirmatively Move to Compel Arbitration and Stay Labor Commissioner Proceeding Results In Waiver of Right to Arbitrate

Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud & Romo

In Fleming Distribution Co. v. Younan (Cal. Ct. App., May 15, 2020, No. A157038) 2020 WL 2511680, the California Court of Appeal, First Appellate District held that an employer waived its right to compel arbitration of a dispute with a former employee over unpaid commissions by delaying the filing of a motion to compel arbitration and actively participating in an administrative proceeding before the Labor Commissioner.

EDUCATION

K-12:

Here’s what to expect when California schools reopen in the fall

Fresno Bee

Although California schools are set to reopen in the fall, classes should not return to normal, State Superintendent Tony Thurmond advised Monday during a news conference.

See Also:

Fresno Unified wants parents to fill out this survey about reopening schools next year

abc30

As California schools prepare to reopen next fall, the Fresno Unified School District is reaching out to parents for their input on the best ways to reach their students during the next academic year.

Expect Hybrid Learning To Become Norm This Fall

Capital Public Radio

Students in face masks at all times. Temperature checks at the school entrance. A mix of in-class and online learning. These are just some of the new protective guidelines released today to more than 10,000 public schools across California as they plan for a much different reopening in the fall.

California science teachers look for new ways to bring hands-on experiments to students

EdSource

California schools were already undergoing a transformation to the way science is taught across the state before campuses were forced to close during the coronavirus pandemic. During the last few months of school, science teachers had to use a variety of tools to keep science lessons going at a safe distance, from at-home experiments to virtual simulations.

After George Floyd, Some School Districts Cut Ties With Police

PEW Trusts

Minneapolis and Portland have ended contracts with city police departments.

Hybrid homeschooling

AEI

For conservative families that feel isolated and besieged by an educational culture at odds with their values, hybrid homeschools offer an opportunity for renewal and flourishing.

Higher Ed:

Fresno State’s nursing programs receive accreditation after troubled year

Fresno Bee

One program was found to have never been accredited at all.

CSUB names new dean of the School of Social Sciences and Education

Bakersfield Californian

James L. Rodríguez has been named dean of the School of Social Sciences and Education at Cal State Bakersfield. Rodríguez’s appointment is effective July 1.

ENVIRONMENT/ENERGY

Environment:

Amid COVID-19 pandemic, deadly disease strikes rabbit populations

San Diego Union-Tribune

A lethal disease that strikes rabbits was detected in a jackrabbit in Palm Springs, leading local veterinarians and animal rescue organizations to prepare for its potential spread to San Diego County.

As EPA Steps Back, States Face Wave Of Requests For Environmental Leniency

VPR

Some of the country’s most polluting industries have flooded state regulators with requests to ease environmental regulations, according to an NPR review of hundreds of state environmental records. Companies across the country say the pandemic is interfering with their ability to comply with laws that protect the public from pollution.

Energy:

Local oil producers struggle despite modest price rebound

Bakersfield Californian

Even as oil prices continue to recover from their sharp drop earlier this year, two local petroleum producers are wrestling with financial challenges relating to tough market conditions during the coronavirus crisis. 

SoCalGas ramps up use of Aliso Canyon, site of worst gas leak in U.S. history

Los Angeles Times

While campaigning for governor, Gavin Newsom said he was committed to shutting down the Aliso Canyon storage field, the site of a record-setting methane blowout that spewed heat-trapping gases into the atmosphere and sickened nearby residents.

Opinion: California Continues to Inflict More Costs onto the Energy Used by Residents

Fox & Hounds

The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals decided on May 28th that climate lawsuits filed by San Mateo County and the cities of San Francisco and Oakland asserting a California public nuisance claim against five energy companies arising from the role of fossil fuel products in global warming can proceed in state court. The lawsuits utilize an obscure area of the law called “public nuisance” to place the blame for global climate change on a few energy companies that develop and sell the energy used by consumers and businesses.

HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES

Health:

Merced County reports 23 new coronavirus infections, highest increase reported in a day

Fresno Bee

Merced County topped its highest single-day jump in new coronavirus cases Monday with 23 individuals confirmed to have tested positive for the disease, according to County Public Health.

See Also: 

Is it safe to go back to the movies? Here’s what experts say about theaters

Sacramento Bee

Cineplexes across the United States are reopening or preparing to reopen their doors after weeks-long closures during coronavirus lockdowns. But is it safe to go back to the movies?

COVID-19 Infections And Deaths Are Higher Among Those With Intellectual Disabilities

VPR

People with intellectual disabilities and autism who contract COVID-19 die at higher rates than the rest of the population, according to an analysis by NPR of numbers obtained from two states that collect data. They also contract the virus at a higher rate, according to research looking into group homes across the United States.

Vaccine Makers Hedge Bets On Which One Will Emerge As Effective And Safe

VPR

Once upon a time, developing a new vaccine was a step-by-step process that went from concept, to design, to tests in humans, to regulatory approval, to manufacturing. It was a process that could take a decade or more. But the urgent need for a COVID-19 vaccine has radically changed all that. Now, the hope is the entire process can be completed in a year or less.

See also:

Even In A Pandemic, WHO Believes That Public Protests Are Important

VPR

In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, the World Health Organization took time at its daily press conference to address another pressing issue: the wave of protests against police violence and racial injustice. The demonstrations began in the U.S. when George Floyd died on May 25 after a police officer had pressed a knee into his neck for 8 minutes and 46 seconds while detaining him in Minneapolis. “WHO fully supports equality and the global movement against racism. We reject discrimination of all kinds,” said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

Health Concerns during COVID-19

PPIC

A majority of Californians are concerned about getting the coronavirus and needing hospitalization, according to PPIC’s latest statewide survey. African Americans and Latinos, as well as lower-income Californians, are more likely than others to be very concerned.

Human Services:

California to begin mandatory COVID-19 testing for some staff, patients at state hospitals

Modesto Bee

California’s state-run psychiatric hospitals are expected to begin mandatory coronavirus testing for workers and patients in their skilled nursing facilities, a step that labor leaders call inadequate.

Clinica Sierra Vista announces expanded COVID-19 testing

Bakersfield Californian

Clinica Sierra Vista announced the expansion of COVID-19 testing at its locations in Kern and Fresno counties with the Abbott’s ID NOW COVID-19 molecular point-of-care test that can deliver accurate results in 13 minutes or less.

Local agencies awarded grant to provide direct mental health services for at-risk Kern County youth

Bakersfield Californian

The Kern County Superintendent of Schools and Kern Behavioral Health & Recovery Services announced Tuesday the agencies have been awarded a $6 million Mental Health Student Services Act grant from the Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission.

Lions Club, Houchin set memorial blood drive

Bakersfield Californian

Houchin Community Blood Bank and the Rosedale Highway Lions Club will host the 4th Annual Trice Harvey Memorial Blood Drive on Saturday. It will take place from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at Houchin’s Bolthouse Donor Center, 11515 Bolthouse Drive.

Public sector united with the Central California Blood Center

Business Journal

The Central California Blood Center has partnered with the City of Fresno and other government agencies in the hope of collecting more than 600 units of blood during a critical time for supply.

Sikhs for Humanity deliver PPE to help county agency fight coronavirus

Stockton Record

Sikhs for Humanity donated much-in-demand personal protective equipment to San Joaquin County Public Health Services during a small ceremony Monday morning outside the agency’s east Stockton headquarters.

Internal document reveals federal plan to ask nurses to reuse masks

Roll Call

Internal Federal Emergency Management Agency data show that the government’s supply of surgical gowns has not meaningfully increased since photos first emerged in March of nurses wearing trash bags for protection. “The demand for gowns outpaces current U.S. manufacturing capabilities,” a document released Tuesday says. 

See also:

Contact tracing for COVID-19 is hybrid of old and new technologies

Roll Call

National and local public health departments have had to cobble together old and new technologies to track the spread of COVID-19. And in some cases, departments have had to jury-rig solutions to minimize the many hours of manual labor it takes to do thorough contact tracing.

As nursing home residents died, new covid-19 protections shielded companies from lawsuits. Families say that hides the truth.

Washington Post

At a Connecticut home that lost one in three residents to covid-19, a daughter searches for answers.

Effects of a Public Option on Health Insurance Costs and Coverage

RAND

A public option for health care—that is, a government-sponsored health insurance plan with publicly determined provider payment rates—is attracting growing interest in policy circles. Multiple public option proposals have been introduced in Congress, and at least 18 states have considered legislation for some form of public option. Washington is the first state to adopt a plan to create a public option in its health insurance Marketplace. In addition, several Democratic presidential candidates in the 2020 election season proposed public option plans.

IMMIGRATION

What was behind hunger strike at detention facility in CA? ICE, advocacy group disagree

Fresno Bee

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials said detainees at a California detention facility may have been coerced into refusing meals. Detainees restarted a hunger strike in response to “lax coronavirus measures being practiced” at the Mesa Verde ICE Processing Center, The Bakersfield Californian reported. A previous hunger strike was conducted in April.

Trump officials cut immigration court interpreters after miscalculating costs, report finds 

San Francisco Chronicle

The Trump administration grossly miscalculated budget projections before it cited funding problems to replace many immigration court interpreters in San Francisco and elsewhere with recorded videos, according to a new watchdog report.

LAND USE/HOUSING

Land Use:

Yosemite sets Tioga Road reopening date. Those driving through park need reservation

Fresno Bee

Yosemite lovers got some good news this week: The popular national park will reopen Thursday, and Tioga Road will reopen Monday, June 15. But accessing Yosemite National Park’s only road over the Sierra Nevada will be more difficult this year.

See Also:

Housing:

These are the fastest-growing cities in California, says the state’s latest population study

Fresno Bee

Sacramento suburbs stood out from much of the state in strong population growth in 2019.  Three Sacramento suburbs: Folsom, Rocklin and Roseville, emerged within the 10 fastest-growing California cities by percentage.

‘We can’t prevent it’: Farm workers paid low wages fear coronavirus spread in crowded housing 

Los Angeles Times

A bed fills most of the room that Odilia Leon shares with her five children. In one corner, a dresser spills over with clothes. For the cramped room in a two-bedroom unit behind a house in east Salinas, she pays $1,050 a month. 

COVID-19 Forces Tough Decisions in Housing Assistance

PEW Trusts

Officials must decide which renters to help in the pandemic.

PUBLIC FINANCES

Don’t give your Social Security number to a contact tracer. New scam plays on COVID-19

Fresno Bee

Scam artists are using the coronavirus outbreak to swindle Californians into giving up personal information, according to the California Department of Justice. California Attorney General Xavier Becerra on Monday issued a consumer alert warning that scammers may attempt to contact you while posing as COVID-19 contact tracers.

Budget cuts to California senior programs during COVID-19 crisis is ‘ageism,’ lawmaker charges

Sacramento Bee

California lawmakers are questioning why Gov. Gavin Newsom has proposed cutting services for the elderly in this year’s budget at the same time the COVID-19 pandemic has devastated nursing homes throughout the state in an unprecedented medical crisis.

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Delinquent property tax notices mailed

Bakersfield Californian

Kern County Treasurer and Tax Collector Jordan Kaufman announced the recent mailing of Delinquency Notices to property owners who have not paid their property taxes.

Short Term Savings Can Yield Long-Term Problems: Why Code Enforcement is Vital to Municipal Fiscal Wellness

Public CEO

Silver & Wright LLP discusses why cutting code enforcement services in a city’s budget could result in long-term economic harm.

TRANSPORTATION

All California DMV offices to reopen this week after coronavirus shutdown

Fresno Bee

All California Department of Motor Vehicles field offices will be open as early as this Thursday — with restrictions. The department’s 169 field offices will help customers with appointments and will assist with certain tasks that can’t be done online, like reinstating a suspended driver license or applying for a disabled person parking placards.

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WATER

Fishing report for week of June 10-16: Shaver Lake kokanee and trout among best bets

Fresno Bee

Shaver Lake kokanee and trout bites going great, Dick Nichols said. Eastman and Hensley kicking out solid bass action, Jake Figgs reported. McClure bass biting, Ryan Cook said. Wishon and Courtright producing trout limits, Kelly Brewer reported. San Francisco Bay salmon and halibut feeding, Trent Slate said.

“Xtra”

Now that the Tower District Starbucks has closed, what would you like to see open there? 

Fresno Bee

The Starbucks in Fresno’s Tower District has closed for good. The coffee giant confirmed back in May with The Bee that the location at 741 E. Olive Ave. had closed, not just for the duration of the coronavirus pandemic, but permanently.

Local spray parks set to reopen

Bakersfield Californian

Bakersfield spray parks will reopen Wednesday, according to a news release from the city. The parks, which were closed to prevent the spread of COVID-19, will be open from 1 to 6 p.m. daily.