POLICY & POLITICS
COVID-19 deaths in 3 months = Valley Fever deaths in past 5 years
Bakersfield Californian
As cases of coronavirus continue to climb and new deaths are reported each day in Kern County, it’s easy to get lost in the numbers. But here’s one way to put them in perspective: COVID-19 has now claimed as many lives in three months as valley fever has over a five-year period, according to available data.
See Also:
● Another COVID-19 death in Fresno County, where the cases rose by 32 Fresno Bee
● A first: Fresno nursing home worker dies of COVID-19. Industry’s case totals continue climb Fresno Bee
● COVID-19 update: Two more deaths, 51 new cases in Tulare County Visalia Times Delta
● ‘Massive outbreak’ swept through nursing home as coronavirus testing lagged LA Times
● Health officer discusses a wave of new coronavirus cases hitting in Stanislaus County Modesto Bee
● 4 more COVID-19 deaths, 72 new cases announced in Kern Bakersfield Californian
North SJ Valley:
Rates of positive cases climb; a call for wearing masks
Modesto Bee
The number of county residents who have died of the virus remained at 33 on Wednesday, according to its Health Services Agency. Positive tests rose to 1,023. Another 16,354 residents have tested negative. The positivity rate was 5.9%, up from 5.8% Tuesday.
EDITORIAL: Stanislaus leaders’ mask-wearing suggestions are failing. It’s time to mandate them
Modesto Bee
In the three weeks since Stanislaus County began reopening our economy, COVID-19 numbers here have dramatically increased. Rather than pump the brakes on reopening, county leaders are revving the engine.
Modesto-area firefighters face scrutiny over ‘All Lives Splatter’ social media post
Modesto Bee
Two local firefighters are facing scrutiny over a recent Facebook post of a cartoon of a sport utility vehicle running over demonstrators with the words “ALL LIVES SPLATTER” above it and “NOBODY CARES ABOUT YOUR PROTEST” below it.
‘Things have become worse’: San Joaquin County sees surge in virus cases
Stockton Record
San Joaquin County is falling behind in efforts to curb the spread of COVID-19, the new coronavirus, the Board of Supervisors was told during an all-day meeting Tuesday.
Merced, Clovis Among State’s Fastest-Growing Cities
GVWire
Merced and Clovis cracked the list of 10 fastest-growing cities in California, according to May data from the state Department of Finance. Merced grew at a 2.37% clip in 2019 and now has 88,120 residents. The city ranks sixth in the state in growth percentage.
Central SJ Valley:
Case counts rise for Fresno, Tulare counties; Fresno Chaffee Zoo re-opens
Fresno Bee
Two more people have died in Tulare County of illness related to the coronavirus, as the county added 51 new positive cases in its updated report on Wednesday. Ninety-six people have died in the county from causes related to COVID-19.
See Also:
● Fresno Chaffee Zoo announces opening date amid COVID-19. Bring a mask, officials sayFresno Bee
● Fresno Chaffee Zoo to reopen to visitors on Friday, officials say abc30
● Some of Fresno’s biggest gym chains will be open soon. Here’s what you need to knowFresno Bee
● Bars, wineries and gyms can open Friday in Fresno County. They will look a lot differentFresno Bee
Fresno police chief temporarily bans carotid restraint
Fresno Bee
Fresno Police Chief Andy Hall has issued a temporary ban on the carotid restraint control hold that California Gov. Gavin Newsom said has no place in law enforcement. The Bee obtained a copy of the memo that Hall sent to all personnel on Friday, June 5. Fresno police spokesman Sgt. Jeff La Blue confirmed the authenticity of the memo.
Warazawski: Police reform has become a national topic. Will change trickle down to Fresno?
Fresno Bee
It’s impossible to watch or read the national news these days without hearing a conversation about police reform. Across the country, cities are reassessing the role of their police departments. Some are asking whether police are tasked with too many responsibilities.
South SJ Valley:
Kern County meeting new state metrics for monitoring so far
Bakersfield Californian
Although deaths from COVID-19 and new cases of the virus continue to rise in Kern, the county is meeting a new set of benchmarks created by the state to monitor counties’ rates of disease transmission and preparedness as communities forge ahead with reopening and resume somewhat normal activity levels.
Sheriff and panelists debate views, make progress during community meeting
Bakersfield Californian
Kern County Sheriff Donny Youngblood met with a panel of local African American leaders and pastors via Zoom conferencing on Wednesday to discuss relationships between the sheriff’s office and the black community in light of recent events both locally and nationally.
Bakersfield City Council flooded with Black Lives Matter emails
Bakersfield Californian
The city of Bakersfield has been flooded with nearly 2,000 emails regarding law enforcement reforms, including requests to defund the Bakersfield Police Department.
Kevin McCarthy denounces moves to ‘defund’ police agencies
Bakersfield Californian
Rep. Kevin McCarthy on Wednesday rejected calls to “defund” U.S. law enforcement agencies in the aftermath of the death of George Floyd, the man whose death at the hands of Minneapolis police has reinvigorated the Black Lives Matter movement at the center of nationwide protests.
State:
Newsom says no turning back on reopening plans, even as coronavirus cases climb
LA Times
California continues to see a surge in coronavirus cases, an expected consequence as stay-at-home orders implemented to stem the spread of the illness are lifted and more sectors of the economy reopen.
See Also:
● Newsom committed to these COVID-19 response efforts in Calif. Here’s how he’s doingSacramento Bee
● Who gets the blame if California sees major new coronavirus outbreaks with reopening?LA Times
● OPINION: Will California’s rush to reopen increase COVID-19 infections, hospitalizations?Fresno Bee
● WALTERS: Gavin Newsom has shined so far CALmatters
Judicial leaders amend coronavirus order on bail, postpone vote on evictions, foreclosures
LA Times
California’s judicial leaders on Wednesday rescinded an emergency coronavirus order that set bail at zero for defendants accused of low-level crimes. But a vote on whether to resume eviction and foreclosure court proceedings was suspended after Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye spoke with Gov. Gavin Newsom, legislators and other judicial leaders.
Calif pays private law firm nearly $600,000 for work on 3 pandemic-related contracts
Sacramento Bee
Faced with two daunting legal problems over the past year — the COVID-19 pandemic and the bankruptcy of a major California utility, PG&E — the Newsom administration has relied on a single LA law firm.
Tribal casinos sue California for more time to qualify legal sports betting measure amid coronavirus
LA Times
A coalition of California Native American tribes sued the state Tuesday seeking more time to qualify a sports betting initiative for the statewide ballot, arguing that the state‘s coronavirus shutdown kept them from collecting voter signatures in recent months.
Defund the police? Some California Democrats ready to close state prisons
Fresno 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.
Calif Democrats moving to reinstate affirmative action after nearly 25 years
Sacramento Bee
More than two decades after California voters banned consideration of race in university admissions, public employment and contracting with Proposition 209, the state Assembly on Wednesday approved a measure that would ask voters to repeal the law.
See Also:
● Plan to restore affirmative action in California clears hurdle after emotional debate LA Times
● Is now the time to bring back affirmative action in California? CALmatters
● EDITORIAL: To dismantle systemic racism, California Legislature must let voters consider Prop. 209 Sacramento Bee
California Assembly advances measure to allow remote voting
Bakersfield Californian
The California Assembly narrowly passed a proposal on Wednesday that would allow state legislators to vote remotely during emergencies, as lawmakers widely regretted not being able to act during a weeks-long recess amid the pandemic.
Federal:
Trump Considers Ways to Address Police Abuse
Wall Street Journal
President Trump and his advisers are weighing a possible executive order or other policy actions to address abuses by police, responding to widespread public anger following the killing of George Floyd in police custody last month.
Top General Apologizes for Role in Trump Photo Op
New York Times
The country’s top military official apologized for taking part in President Trump’s walk across Lafayette Square for a photo op after authorities cleared the area of peaceful protesters.
Pelosi requests removal of Confederate statues in Capitol
Politico
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Wednesday called for the removal of nearly a dozen statues in the U.S. Capitol depicting Confederate leaders, the latest step in a racial reckoning taking place following the killing of George Floyd by a white police officer in Minneapolis last month.
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 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:
Gambling, data privacy advocates sue Calif, arguing COVID-19 interfered with campaigns
Sacramento Bee
Initiative campaigns on sports betting and data privacy are suing California, arguing the state should modify deadlines to qualify for the ballot because the COVID-19 pandemic interfered with their ability to gather signatures.
Trump says he will resume campaign rallies
LA Times
President Trump, who has been eager to get back on the campaign trail, said Wednesday that he would hold his first rally in more than three months on June 19 in Tulsa, Okla., raising the risk of spreading the coronavirus in a mass gathering.
See Also:
● Trump says he will resume campaign rallies June 19 in Tulsa LA Times
Older voters put Trump in the White House. Now some are having second thoughts
LA Times
Calvin Eng has little use for politicians. Democrats just want to tax, he said. Republicans just want to cut. It seemed to Eng that Donald Trump was different than the usual run-of-the-mill candidate. So in 2016 the registered Republican, who considers himself more an independent, voted for Trump.
See also:
● Commentary: Presidential job approval: Trump’s re-election prospects look bleakBrookings
Kamala Harris seizes the spotlight as Biden seeks a veep — but worries linger
Washington Post
Sen. Kamala D. Harris clapped along with protesters near the White House chanting “Hands up! Don’t shoot!” A few days later, she passionately defended an anti-lynching bill on the Senate floor. And this week, she warned that America has “still not fully embraced, acknowledged or addressed its history of racism.”
Joe Biden must rethink tax pledge
The Hill
In a news interview last month, Democratic nominee Joe Biden made a sweeping commitment about tax policy in his potential administration when he declared, “Nobody making under 400,000 bucks would have their taxes raised.”
See Also:
● As protests rage, more Democrats want Biden to pick woman of color as VP Politico
Opinion: The False Promise of Progressive Free-College Plans
National Review
Throughout this election cycle, progressives have pushed for a two-part solution to the so-called student-debt crisis — and Joe Biden is now on board with their aims.
Other:
Commentary: It is time for mandatory national service
The Hill
In light of the pandemic, social unrest and economic uncertainty — now more than ever — we must come together as a nation to help make our country a better place for all. The best way to do that is by investing in our present and futur
7 news outlets in McClatchy chain will move out of offices for the rest of the year
Poynter
As journalists from newsrooms across the country started working remotely because of the coronavirus, eventually, a question arose: Could newspapers just eliminate newsrooms and have everyone work from home?
Commentary: What happens when a society loses confidence in itself and the future?
AEI
I’m finally watching “Civilization,” the 1969 BBC mini-series written and narrated by British art historian Kenneth Clark. Over 13 episodes, Clark presents the history of the West through its art. It was Clark’s goal to make manifest the famous quote — cited in the series — of 19th century English art critic John Ruskin: “Great nations write their autobiographies in three manuscripts, the book of their deeds, the book of their words and the book of their art. Not one of these books can be understood unless we read the two others, but of the three the only trustworthy one is the last.”
Commentary: America: Individual effort is not going to help us address racism
Brookings
Racial justice is going to test this country politically. Americans are great believers in the power of individuals to transcend challenging situations and tend to look askance at policy solutions that depart from the assumption that individual Americans are not singularly responsible for their life’s outcomes.
Commentary: Bridge the digital divide with action on creating access to broadband for all
CalMatters
The headlines underscore the massive challenges ahead of us: 1 in 5 California students lack computers and Wi-Fi. Coronavirus exposes L.A.’s economic and racial digital divide. Depression-era jobless rates loom.
AGRICULTURE/FOOD
This Fresno restaurant landed on a national list of 30 must-try black-owned eateries
Fresno Bee
Buzzfeed released a list of 30 must-try black-owned restaurants in America – and a Fresno restaurant is on it. Chef Paul’s Cafe, a little restaurant with a big reputation at 952 F St. in downtown Fresno, is No. 27 on the list.
Order takeout? Proposed Calif law aims for truth in all online restaurant menus
Sacramento Bee
The California Assembly on Wednesday overwhelmingly passed a bill that would ban online food-delivery platforms from advertising restaurants’ menus without consent, potentially preventing companies like Grubhub and DoorDash from taking a cut of revenue from takeout orders.
Remove barriers to accessing CalFresh, the state’s food assistance program
CALmatters
The COVID-19 pandemic has placed a spotlight on the shortcomings of many of the programs that help protect older adults in California, including our state’s food assistance program, CalFresh.
U.S. food makers stock up on ingredients in case of another coronavirus surge
LA Times
Hoarding cash during a pandemic might seem prudent, but America’s packaged food companies are finding it’s better to stock up on stuff they can sell.
Tyson Foods Cooperating in U.S. Probe of Chicken Price-Fixing
Wall Street Journal
Tyson Foods Inc., the leading U.S. chicken producer, said it is cooperating in a Justice Department price-fixing investigation under a leniency program that will allow the company to avoid criminal prosecution in exchange for aiding in the continuing probe of other poultry suppliers.
Organic Trade Association Honors Jeff Huckaby of Grimmway Farms
California Ag Network
Jeff Huckaby, currently President of Grimmway Farms and Cal-Organic Farms, is being honored by the Organic Trade Association as Organic Farmer of the Year. Huckaby started farming organically in 1999 as a farm manager for Grimmway in Bakersfield, California, growing several hundred acres of organic carrots.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE/FIRE/PUBLIC SAFETY
Crime:
Fresno Superior Court reopens with many changes. Here’s what you need to know
Fresno Bee
Fresno County Superior Court is slowly resuming operations as officials begin to loosen restrictions designed to protect the public against the coronavirus. Court division manager Suzanne Abi-Rached said starting Monday, the court will begin hearing cases for people who are out of custody.
Central Calif statistics confirm black people arrested at higher rate than whites
abc30
Across the country, police statistics bear out one of the biggest complaints of Black Lives Matter protests: Police arrest black people at much higher rates. “To be in a black body is to be condemned already,” said Marcel Woodruff of Faith in the Valley.
No more $0 bail: Rule to slow coronavirus in Calif jails & courts is rescinded
Sacramento Bee
California courts will soon no longer have to adhere to an emergency rule that suspended cash bail for suspected lower-level offenders, a temporary measure to help authorities slow the spread of coronavirus.
California deputy shot in ‘ambush’ attack at police station
AP News
A California sheriff’s deputy was shot in the head but survived an “ambush” by a gunman intent on harming or killing police and authorities said Wednesday they were investigating whether there was a connection to two recent deadly attacks on officers.
Public Safety:
Fresno police chief temporarily bans carotid restraint
Fresno Bee
Fresno Police Chief Andy Hall has issued a temporary ban on the carotid restraint control hold that California Gov. Gavin Newsom said has no place in law enforcement.
KCSO suspends use of hold that restricts blood flow to the brain
Bakersfield Californian
Pending a review of its policies and training, the Kern County Sheriff’s Office said Wednesday the agency has suspended its use of a controversial choke hold that restricts blood flow to the brain, causing the restrained person to lose consciousness.
Opinion: Major systemic change needed to break the cycle of police racism, brutality and scandal
Fresno Bee
Twenty years ago, I was asked to do a study of the LA Police Department after the Rampart scandal. What I learned then guides my thinking with regard to police reform today.
Opinion: A Police-Reform Agenda as Old as Policing Itself
National Review
The recent death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police, and the riots and anti-riot police actions that followed them, have made new radical libertarians out of some of our friends on the left, who are demanding the defunding and abolition of city police departments.
Opinion: The Full Truth About Race and Policing
Wall Street Journal
Chicago has long been one of the nation’s most dangerous big cities, and it seems determined to keep that distinction. The Chicago Sun-Times reports that 18 people were killed on one Sunday, May 31, “making it the single most violent day in Chicago in six decades.”
Opinion: The Problem With Police Unions
Wall Street Journal
Remember the furor in 2011 when Republican governors tried to reform collective bargaining for government workers? Well, what do you know, suddenly Democrats say public-union labor agreements are frustrating police reform. We’re delighted to hear it—if they’re serious.
Opinion: How Academia Failed to Improve Police Practices
Wall Street Journal
There is plenty of blame to go around for the latest civil unrest, from police unions to political leaders. But don’t let academia off the hook. My fellow professors had years to figure out how to improve policing so that it better protects the lives and dignity of African-Americans.
Calif correctional officers, staff at all prisons to be tested for COVID-19
Fresno Bee
California is starting to require COVID-19 testing for workers at more prisons, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation announced Tuesday. Nose swab testing starts this week at San Quentin State Prison and California State Prison, Corcoran, according to a corrections department email.
Like a Petri dish for the virus: Tens of thousands of Calif inmates are at risk
CALmatters
While sheriffs across the state debate early release to avoid a jail epidemic, inmates say conditions are unsanitary. “It’s inhumane, and it’s a recipe for absolute disaster,” said one federal defense attorney.
Fire:
Calif wants to get fire coverage for burned-out towns. Why watchdogs are worried
Fresno 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.
Wildfires erupt as California sees hot, dry weather
Bakersfield Californian
Firefighters were battling a pair of brush fires Wednesday that had burned through more than 11 square miles (28 square kilometers) at Southern California’s Camp Pendleton Marine Corps base amid summer-like heat.
ECONOMY/JOBS
Economy:
Businesses Hoping To Rebound After COVID Shutdowns
Clovis RoundUp
The deadly Coronavirus pandemic that has ravaged local economies continues to rage on, but as California’s governmental restrictions continue to ease as the state looks to rebound, many businesses have been looking to take advantage and get back on track as best as possible.
How new Stanislaus County program ensures businesses are ‘good’ to reopen under coronavirus
Modesto Bee
As businesses and restaurants reopen and California begins to ease COVID-19 restrictions, owners are looking for a way to tell their customers they’re “good to go” and up to date on all the necessary safety protocols.
‘We need help’: Small cities face fiscal calamity from coronavirus
LA Times
Unfilled potholes, uncollected trash, unmown grass and, most significantly, fewer police on the street are some of what Allentown says it’s contemplating unless Washington helps it plug a multimillion-dollar budget hole left by the coronavirus pandemic.
‘How are we supposed to survive?’: Black-owned barbershops reopen, but it’s not the same
Roll Call
Just off a bustling highway in Prince George’s County sits Crown Royal Barbers, tucked away next to a Jerry’s Subs and Pizza in one of the area’s plazas full of grocery stores and shoe shops.
Fed predicts no interest rate change through 2022
LA Times
The Federal Reserve signaled Wednesday that it was likely to hold interest rates near zero through 2022 — an indication that central bank policymakers see a long road to recovery from the economic devastation wrought by the coronavirus pandemic.
See Also:
● Fed Officials Project No Rate Increases Through 2022 Wall Street Journal
Dow slides 1,000 points on fears of coronavirus resurgence, more economic pain
Washington Post
U.S. markets posted heavy losses Thursday as the Federal Reserve’s gloomy economic outlook, coupled with fears of a second wave of coronavirus infections, rattled investors.
See Also:
● U.S. Stocks Tumble as Investors Grow Jittery Wall Street Journal
U.S. Budget Deficit Widened to $399 Billion in May From $208 Billion a Year Earlier
Wall Street Journal
The U.S. government’s budget deficit rose 92% in May from a year earlier to $399 billion, as revenues plummeted and spending surged on efforts to stem the new coronavirus pandemic and the fallout from lockdowns.
Jobs:
WARN ACT Data: March through June 10
California Center for Jobs & the Economy
Updated WARN Act layoffs from EDD primarily cover layoffs from earlier weeks. The number of permanent layoffs including both from worker layoffs and establishment closures are now growing, rising to 14.7% of the total since March.
U.S. Initial Unemployment Claims Fell to 1.5 Million Last Week
Wall Street Journal
The number of people seeking unemployment benefits continued to fall while those receiving benefits appeared to plateau, signs the labor market continues to slowly mend from the coronavirus employment shock.
See Also:
● 1.5 million more laid-off workers seek unemployment benefits BakersfieldNow
● Another 1.5 million workers filed for unemployment insurance Washington Post
● Unemployment claims climbed by 1.5 million last week, despite jobs gains in May Politico
EDUCATION
K-12:
What — if anything — can schools in Fresno, Clovis do about recent racist incidents?
Fresno Bee
School officials continue to investigate a string of comments made by staff in Fresno and a student in Clovis last week. The string of Fresno-area incidents comes in the wake of protests related to the death of George Floyd, a black man who died after a white Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee against Floyd’s neck for several minutes.
Will Fresno schools cut spending on police officers on campus? Big decisions loom
Fresno Bee
Facing a multi-million dollar budget hole, Fresno school leaders are set to consider a string of proposed cuts amid calls from dozens of residents to ax law enforcement contracts that station police officers on public school campuses.
See Also:
● No more officers in Fresno schools? Non-profit says it’s time for a change abc30
Fresno Co schools considering a 2 day schedule. How would it work for families?
Fresno Bee
Summer has only begun, but school districts across the region are grappling with how to reopen safely and effectively in the fall. Many are planning for a two day a week schedule, with an option for full home learning for parents who choose.
How will Stanislaus Co schools reopen? With soap & sick rooms, guidelines say
Modesto Bee
Students can expect staggered schedules and prepackaged meals when they return to Stanislaus County schools this fall, according to new guidelines.
Calif teachers worry gap widening for English learners during school closures
EdSource
Teachers across California are worried that students who are learning English will fall behind in their language skills due to the school closures and are trying various approaches to connect with those students and their families.
What the pandemic could mean for schools
Roll Call
In tonight’s episode, we look at how Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin views the Paycheck Protection Program, what the pandemic could mean for schools this fall, and give a roundup of health policy news.
Commentary: Hybrid homeschooling
AEI
Hybrid homeschooling creates an avenue for conservatives to build the types of schools that appeal to their values and desires at a price they can afford. Hybrid homeschools should be part of a conservative agenda because they recognize the primacy of the family and work in civic society to create formative institutions built on local values.
Higher Ed:
Accrediting Agency Affirms Fresno State School Of Nursing Programs
Fresno State News
Fresno State announced today that the School of Nursing has regainedaccreditation of its master’s degree nursing program and was granted new accreditation of its online psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner certificate program as announced by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) on June 4.
CSUB nursing ranks third in Best Online RN to BSN program in California
Bakersfield Californian
RegisteredNursing.org recently named Cal State Bakersfield’s Nursing Department No. 3 on its 2020 Best Online Registered Nursing to Bachelor of Science in Nursing Programs in California. “We are pleased to have our program recognized by RegisteredNursing.org.
Campus Life in the Fall? A Test With No Clear Answer
New York Times
Fall will be quiet this year at San Diego State University. No big lecture classes. No parking lots packed with commuting students. No campus hubbub around Greek life, and perhaps no pep rallies for the Aztecs football team.
See Also:
● Fearing a Second Wave, Cal State Will Keep Classes Online in the Fall New York Times
ENVIRONMENT/ENERGY
Environment:
In the Midst of the Coronavirus, California Weighs Diesel Regulations
insideclimatenews
Every day, nearly 18,000 diesel-powered trucks barrel along State Route 60 in Jurupa Valley, a small city 45 miles east of LA. The trucks come and go from over 40 square miles of warehouse space in the area, but a blanket of smog lingers behind.
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.
PG&E shakes up board of directors as Calif utility prepares for life after bankruptcy
Sacramento Bee
PG&E Corp. overhauled its board of directors Wednesday in a housecleaning that it said fulfills its pledge to reinvent the troubled utility as its prepares to exit bankruptcy.
HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES
Health:
COVID-19 deaths in three months equal to valley fever deaths in past five years
Bakersfield Californian
As cases of coronavirus continue to climb and new deaths are reported each day in Kern County, it’s easy to get lost in the numbers. But here’s one way to put them in perspective: COVID-19 has now claimed as many lives in three months as valley fever has over a five-year period, according to available data.
See Also:
● Another COVID-19 death in Fresno County, where the cases rose by 32 Fresno Bee
● A first: Fresno nursing home worker dies of COVID-19. Industry’s case totals continue climb Fresno Bee
● COVID-19 update: Two more deaths, 51 new cases in Tulare County Visalia Times Delta
● ‘Massive outbreak’ swept through nursing home as coronavirus testing lagged LA Times
● Health officer discusses a wave of new coronavirus cases hitting in Stanislaus CountyModesto Bee
● 4 more COVID-19 deaths, 72 new cases announced in Kern Bakersfield Californian
Can we get a vaccine for COVID-19 by next year?
LA Times
More than 130 labs around the world are working to develop a COVID-19 vaccine. But what would it take to vaccinate everyone by early next year?
See also:
● Vaccine Makers Hedge Bets On Which Will Emerge As Effective & Safe VPR
The Big-Data Mystery Behind Retracted Covid-19 Studies of Hydroxychloroquine, Other Drugs
Wall Street Journal
Surgisphere Corp., a little-known medical-data company, said it had a massive data set of patients that researchers could use to study the effect of blood-pressure and malaria drugs on Covid-19, leading to the publication of high-profile papers on the disease.
Tested Positive for Coronavirus Antibodies? Don’t Let Your Guard Down
Wall Street Journal
After a rocky rollout, higher-quality coronavirus antibody tests have emerged that, among other uses, are beginning to give a clearer picture of the pathogen’s spread. But for people who are simply curious about whether they’ve unknowingly been infected, some doctors and public-health authorities are still hesitant to recommend antibody tests.
CalMatters
As calls mount for life to return to normal, a test to see who has immunity to COVID-19 holds the key to reopening California’s economy. But there are hurdles: Competition to procure limited tests is ramping up, even as the tests’ accuracy remains contested, the LA Times reports.
See also:
● Opinion: America Is Reopening, but the Pandemic Continues National Review
Opinion: Covid, DNA and Blood Type
Wall Street Journal
Millions of Americans have taken personal DNA tests from companies like 23andMe to find out whether their genes put them at higher risk for diseases like breast and colon cancer. Now these tests are identifying people who are more likely to get sick with Covid-19.
Medical residents face notorious stress. A pandemic just piles on, studies say
Fresno Bee
Health care workers have been suffering from mental health issues since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. Some are forced to work without proper protection, while most have to deal with deaths, unpaid overtime and worry for loved ones.
Human Services:
Lawmaker: Budget cuts to Calif senior programs during pandemic is ‘ageism,’
Fresno 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.
Nursing Homes Say Some Protective Gear Sent by FEMA Is Unusable
Wall Street Journal
A major federal effort to ship protective gear to nursing homes during the coronavirus pandemic is providing equipment that some facilities say is unusable, including plastic gowns that they say don’t meet their infection-control requirements.
Day-Care Centers Are Reopening. Will Families Return?
Wall Street Journal
As the hard-hit day-care industry prepares to reopen from its coronavirus shutdown, Dina Longo, like many parents around the country, is debating whether it is safe to send her 2-year-old daughter back to her New Jersey child-care center.
The Public-Health Establishment Has Diminished Its Credibility
National Review
Mere weeks ago, public-health experts worried about transmission of coronavirus sternly warned against large, crowded gatherings. That was before the protests sparked by the killing of George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, by a white police officer in Minneapolis on May 25.
Commentary: U.S. Health Care Puts $4 Trillion in All the Wrong Places
Bloomberg
The new coronavirus was a test of America’s ability to protect the health of its people, and the country failed. The U.S. has the greatest number of confirmed cases and deaths in the world. Months after arriving in the U.S., the virus that wrecked the economy with disorienting velocity continues to inflict an unfathomable human toll.
IMMIGRATION
Here’s what you need to know about disaster relief for undocumented immigrants in Calif
Fresno Bee
An effort to provide disaster relief assistance for eligible undocumented Californians affected financially by the coronavirus has been deluged with calls, and the money is beginning to run out.
LAND USE/HOUSING
Land Use:
U.S. Senate one step closer to a major investment in America’s public lands
Environment California
The U.S. Senate voted on Monday to end debate on the Great American Outdoors Act, a bipartisan bill to permanently fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) at $900 million annually and provide $9.5 billion over five years to fix maintenance problems that are plaguing America’s public lands.
Housing:
Merced, Clovis Among State’s Fastest-Growing Cities
GVWire
Merced and Clovis cracked the list of 10 fastest-growing cities in California, according to May data from the state Department of Finance. Merced grew at a 2.37% clip in 2019 and now has 88,120 residents. The city ranks sixth in the state in growth percentage.
How long should Calif ban evictions? Lawmakers look at extending coronavirus relief
Fresno Bee
A group of California lawmakers unveiled a new bill Wednesday that would ban landlords from evicting tenants for failure to pay rent during the coronavirus public health emergency, aimed to extend expiring protections Gov. Gavin Newsom handed down three months ago.
See Also:
● California courts eye ending rental, eviction protections Bakersfield Californian
● California bill would bar landlords from evicting renters for nonpayment during pandemicSF Chronicle
PUBLIC FINANCES
Why tax refunds are taking so long to arrive
LA Times
You mentioned that people who file electronically and use direct deposit generally get their refunds much more quickly than those who file paper returns. That has always been true for me, but this year I filed in February and got a message that there was a problem but not to contact the IRS for 60 days.
Commentary: To target aid to the neediest families, we need to strengthen TANF
Brookings
The COVID-19 pandemic has had devastating effects on the U.S. economy. As of May 26, more than half of adults in households with children have experienced a loss of employment income since March 13, and 40 percent expect a loss of income in the coming month. Falling incomes are having serious consequences, especially for households with children.
TRANSPORTATION
DMV set to reopen all field offices following COVID-19 pandemic
Visalia Times Delta
The DMV will reopen its remaining field offices this week following a temporary closure during the COVID-19 pandemic. With this phase of reopening, employees at all 169 field offices will be able to help customers who’ve made appointments.
WATER
City spray parks reopen with temperatures approaching triple digits
Bakersfield Californian
Bakersfield city spray parks reopened Wednesday. The parks, which were closed to prevent the spread of COVID-19, will be open from 1 to 6 p.m. daily under guidelines provided by state and county health departments.
Opinion: Should Turlock buy water from Modesto’s water plant, or build its own?
Modesto Bee
Since it was founded in 1871 by prominent grain farmer John William Mitchell, the city of Turlock has relied on well or ground water to meet the water needs of its citizens, farmers and businesses.
“Xtra”
Fresno Bee’s People’s Choice Awards 2020: Shopping
Fresno Bee
Steven’s Bicycles is a one-stop shop for your bicycle needs. The staff will help you find the perfect bike so you have the best experience. A variety of accessories are available, as well as parts, service and repair, free bike adjustments and shop rides, if you want to ride as part of a group.
Fresno Bee’s People’s Choice Awards 2020: Food and Drink
Fresno Bee
Located in Fig Garden Village since 1985, La Boulangerie is influenced by French cuisine — selling croissants, baguettes, breadsticks, Portuguese bread and loaves of bread in a variety of flavors. The bakery makes a variety of sweets and also serves hot, cold and grilled sandwiches and espresso drinks.
Get into the ARTMIX: BMoA changes up event with online art sale, restaurant partnerships
Bakersfield Californian
ARTMIX, the Bakersfield Museum of Art’s spring fundraiser, was just weeks away when the shutdown hit California. Even as restrictions eased in Kern County, it seemed unlikely that a large gathering would be possible, so museum staff did what they do best: Get creative.
Disneyland will reopen its theme parks in July. Here’s what to know
Modesto Bee
Disneyland has plans to reopen after the coronavirus shut it down. The park announced Wednesday that it will begin a phased reopening of Disneyland Resort starting with the opening of the Downtown Disney District on July 9.
Drive-in movies light up Merced Co. Local group brings mobile cinema to Los Banos
Modesto Bee
I told you drive-in movies were back. Once a symbol of a bygone era, the drive-in movie has come roaring back in the Central Valley spurred on by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, its ensuing shutdowns and subsequent desire for safe family outings.
While Gallo Center closed, its repertory group keeps entertaining with virtual plays
Modesto Bee
While Modesto’s Gallo Center for the Arts remains closed due to the coronavirus pandemic, its repertory company continues to entertain patrons with a series of virtual theater productions.