June 17, 2020

17Jun

POLICY & POLITICS

North SJ Valley:

Coronavirus update: Stanislaus cases spike; bowling, amusement centers back

Modesto Bee

Stanislaus County reported Monday that a 35th resident has died of the coronavirus. Like all the others, the person was at least 50 years old. Positive tests rose to 1,242, according to the county Health Services Agency. Another 18,725 residents have tested negative. The positivity rate was 6.2%, down from 6.3% the day before.

See also:

Aftermath of protest in Oakdale: Two apologies, and maybe a police review board

Modesto Bee

Oakdale might get a police review board, one outcome of a sometimes tense City Council discussion of the recent Black Lives Matter protest. The council voted 5-0 on Monday night for a resolution against “violent and disrespectful treatment that degrades dignity or disregards human life.”

Central SJ Valley:

Can Fresno’s police force be re-imagined? Council and chief discuss defunding cops

Fresno Bee

Dozens of Fresno residents spoke Monday during a City Council budget hearing to call for a re-imagining of the city’s police force, saying an armed officer doesn’t need to respond to every 911 call.

See Also:

Systemic racism isn’t just about police brutality — and it has a long history in Fresno

Fresno Bee

“We were neglected, neglected, neglected, time after time after time.”

Fresno, Kings, Tulare among CA counties where COVID-19 is most concerning, says Gov. Gavin Newsom

abc30

Gov. Gavin Newsom made the case in a press conference Monday that the state has done the hard work of flattening the COVID-19 curve in California. He ran through a presentation of data on testing, positive cases, hospital capacity and more, making the case that the situation has effectively stabilized at the state level.

City of Clovis Gives Update on COVID-19

Clovis RoundUp

The Clovis City Council received a brief update on how the city is handling the COVID-19 crisis during its weekly meeting on Monday. City Manager Luke Serpa told the council members that, “Clovis is doing well considering we are the second largest city in the county.” 

See also:

Fresno City Council Fields More Racist Comments During Budget Hearings

VPR
More racist remarks were made during a public comment session at the Fresno City Council budget hearing on Monday. The council heard similar, vulgar comments last week, and members said they want consequences.

South SJ Valley:

Lemoore City Council to talk possible sales tax measure

Hanford Sentinel

The Lemoore City Council will meet Tuesday to discuss a potential sales tax measure in the city. According to the staff report, staff has been looking into options for increasing general fund revenues to support city services. They said the cost of providing city services has increased over time, but the city’s revenues have not been increasing at the same rate.

State says local air district too generous with emission credits

Bakersfield Californian

State air quality officials have accused Central Valley regulators of undermining local anti-pollution measures by repeatedly miscalculating emission credits for the benefit of industry.

McCarthy, Clyburn, Cox kick off BC’s Juneteenth Conversation series

Bakersfield Californian

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn and Rep. TJ Cox were some of the individuals who kicked off Bakersfield College’s weeklong #LightACandle: A Juneteenth Conversation Monday night by discussing racism and social injustice in the country.

State:

Coronavirus updates: Newsom defends California reopening; capital region cases top 2,600

Sacramento Bee

California Gov. Gavin Newsom and state and local health leaders have expressed support for the current strategy of phased reopening from the coronavirus shutdown, but with the statewide death toll surpassing 5,000 and some regions hit harder by the pandemic than others, the state says it is keeping an eye on more than a dozen counties.

See also:

California Legislature approves own version of budget

Turlock Journal

Despite a constitutional requirement to pass a new spending plan by June 15 or lose their paychecks, the California State Legislature was unable to reach a deal with Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday and instead passed a separate budget framework of their own.

These California counties have seen a surge in coronavirus cases since reopening

San Francisco Chronicle

California started reopening its pandemic-battered economy a little over a month ago, and cases of the coronavirus have picked up statewide — but some counties have fared far worse than others.

Federal:

Trump signs executive order on police reform as Democrats urge more

abc30

Following weeks of national protests since the death of George Floyd, President Donald Trump signed an executive order Tuesday that he said would encourage better police practices. But he made no mention of the roiling national debate over racism spawned by police killings of black men and women.

See Also:

Trump’s 2020 polls are getting worse. Here’s proof.

Washington Post

A couple of weeks ago, a poll shook the 2020 race. It showed former vice president Joe Biden, who had just officially secured the delegates he needs to become the Democratic nominee, leading President Trump by a remarkable 12 points in all-important Michigan. 

U.S. Files Breach-of-Contract Suit Against Ex-National Security Adviser John Bolton

Wall Street Journal

The U.S. on Tuesday filed a breach-of-contract lawsuit against former national security adviser John Bolton, seeking to delay the publication of his book, which the suit alleges contains classified information that could compromise national security.

AP FACT CHECK: Trump on an AIDS vaccine that doesn’t exist

AP News

Seizing on a medical milestone that doesn’t exist, President Donald Trump said Tuesday he thinks the same scientific expertise that produced a vaccine for AIDS can deliver one soon for COVID-19, too. There is no vaccine for AIDS.

See also:

Warszawski: Three months in, our national COVID-19 policy is clear: You’re on your own, suckers

Fresno Bee

Three months into the coronavirus pandemic, we’ve reached a plateau. Not of total cases, hospitalizations and deaths — those keep going up — but in the amalgamated response by our federal, state and local governments.

Fauci Warns of Coronavirus Resurgence if States Don’t Adhere to Safety Guidelines 

Wall Street Journal

Infectious-disease expert says higher percentages of positive tests in some states can’t be explained by increased testing

See also:

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:

California’s 2020 Primary Election: Turnout Analysis

USCPrice

In 2020, California moved its presidential primary from June to March. The timing meant California voters could help select the Democratic nominee before the national primary race ceased to be competitive

How to win the West? Democratic women aim again at GOP seats

Roll Call

After winning a six-candidate primary with less than 34 percent of the vote in 2018, Kathleen Williams lost the general election for Montana’s at-large House seat. This year, the Democrat hopes the second time’s the charm. 

The Bigger Hurdle: Harris Becoming VP, or Newsom Picking Her Successor?

RealClear Politics

In politics, as in baseball, June predictions aren’t the wisest — especially when it comes to forecasting presidential running mates. That said, Joe Biden has done a favor for those of us who engage in idle “veep” speculation. By limiting his choices to strictly double-X-chromosome, the Democrats’ nominee-in-waiting has a tapered list of options. And if recent news accounts are to be believed, at the top of said list is California Sen. Kamala Harris, who at this time in 2019 was a presidential hopeful.

OPINION: Don’t count Donald Trump out yet — 20 weeks is a lifetime in presidential politics

Fresno Bee

According to historical patterns, elected U.S. presidents seeking a second term should win reelection. Only three have lost such bids in the past century.

Other:

Selective Social-Distancing Rules Are One of the Great Scams in American Life

National Review

Earlier this week, Chicago mayor Lori Lightfoot had big news: The city is opening up its iconic Lakefront Trail after months of being closed off as part of a COVID-19 lockdown.

Honduran President Tests Positive

New York Times

Scientists at the University of Oxford say they have identified a drug that can reduce coronavirus-related deaths. The virus flares in Beijing. Officials in Tulsa, Okla., worry that President Trump’s planned rally could cause a spike.

An Older Generation of Civil-Rights Activists Sees Hope, Lessons in Today’s Protests

Wall Street Journal

They cheer the diversity of the crowds, but worry about the absence of a central spiritual leader and targeted agenda

AGRICULTURE/FOOD

Employees at almond processing facility test positive for COVID-19: visitors encouraged to get tested

yourcentralvalley.com

Eight employees at the Hughson Nut Company in Livingston have tested positive for COVID-19, according to the Merced County Department of Public Health.

Food bank receives convenient donation

Madera Tribune

Spearheaded by Yosemite High School junior-to-be Avery Bunnell, the Madera County American Petroleum and Convenience Store Association and the Central Valley chapter of the United Way and the Darbar Shiri Guru Granth Sahib Ji donated $41,000 to the Madera County Food Bank last week. 

COVID-19 Impact On California Wine Industry

Capital Public Radio

Counties across California are moving further along into their reopening process as the coronavirus pandemic continues. Wineries are a part of the state’s Stage 3 reopening plan. Although some stayed open just for tastings, many more are now fully reopening their doors and will offer food amid new safety procedures and modifications.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE/FIRE/PUBLIC SAFETY

Crime:

California Justice Department would investigate more police shootings under Democrat’s plan

Fresno Bee

Amid national protests over police brutality and calls for changes to how officers do their jobs, a California Democrat wants the state Department of Justice to more often handle independent investigations into incidents of deadly force.

EDITORIAL: Madera County supervisors won’t explain child abuse reporting fixes. Public needs to know

Fresno Bee

Several months have passed since Bee staff writer Yesenia Amaro first reported a disturbing story from Madera County: A social worker was accused of discarding hundreds of child abuse reports without anyone else knowing, or worse yet, being able to act on the information to protect vulnerable children.

Public Safety:

Can Fresno’s police force be re-imagined? Council and chief discuss defunding cops

Fresno Bee

Dozens of Fresno residents spoke Monday during a City Council budget hearing to call for a re-imagining of the city’s police force, saying an armed officer doesn’t need to respond to every 911 call.

See Also:

CDCR community supervision plan aimed to protect inmates, staff from spread of COVID-19

Bakersfield Californian

The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation will implement a community supervision program to eligible inmates in order to further protect staff and inmates at state prisons from the spread of COVID-19.

Years Before COVID-19, Avenal State Prison Grappled With A Different Deadly Outbreak

VPR
Paul Richardson was in prison in Fresno County in the 1990s when he first heard about valley fever, a mysterious fungal disease that could be caught from inhaling spores in airborne dust. He came to learn, however, that his fellow inmates had their own name for it. “We called it ‘instant AIDS,’” he says. “A-I-D-S.”

How Decades Of Bans On Police Chokeholds Have Fallen Short

VPR
In the wake of George Floyd’s death, a flashpoint in the debates over police reform has been the push to ban chokeholds nationwide. Advocates believe that enshrining a ban into law will deter police violence.

Lawsuit claims Sacramento police need racial training after holding teens at gunpoint

Sacramento Bee

Sacramento police officers held three teenage boys at gunpoint on suspicion of a burglary for which they did not match the description, a lawsuit filed in federal court last week alleges. The lawsuit demands the city train officers on racially motivated police stops.

Should Police Be Responding To Mental Health Calls? This Group Says No, And Offers An Alternative

Capital Public Radio

On a Saturday night in February, under an Oak Park drug clinic’s fluorescent lights, a small team of volunteers started building a new system for responding to people in crisis. Registered nurse Asantewaa Boykin trained some new arrivals on mental health first aid, while two street outreach workers talked strategy in a cluttered office.

See Also:

Many of the #8CANTWAIT police use-of-force reforms are already used in California

PublicCEO

In the past week, Campaign Zero’s “#8CANTWAIT” was launched in response to George Floyd’s killing and the outcry for police reforms that followed. The campaign is a push for eight police use-of-force reform measures and a database that tracks how these eight policies, meant to curtail police violence, are employed in major cities. Campaign Zero and its advocates have urged and challenged state and local political and law enforcement leaders to implement these eight policies. 

Here Are the 99 U.S. Cities Where Protesters Were Tear-Gassed

New York Times

At least 99 law enforcement agencies — many in large cities — used some form of tear gas against civilians protesting police brutality and racism in recent weeks, according to an analysis by The New York Times. 

Commentary: Race Problem or Crime Problem?

Wall Street Journal

Too many poor Americans, especially blacks, live in places where law is absent.

WALTERS: It’s time to curb police violence

CalMatters

One would think that with demonstrations against police brutality raging throughout the state, even in small rural towns, officers who monitored the protests would have been on their best behavior. Not so. Gratuitous violence against marchers, innocent bystanders and reporters wearing identifying vests and/or displaying credentials was rampant.

Fire: 

These are the 84 people, one by one, PG&E pleaded guilty to killing in the 2018 Camp Fire

Fresno Bee

As PG&E’s lawyers and CEO Bill Johnson listened, Butte Superior Court Judge Michael Deems read the indictments one at a time. And for each name, Johnson took responsibility on behalf of the embattled utility to 84 counts of involuntary manslaughter in the deadliest wildfire in California history.

See Also:

Red flag warning issued for high fire danger across much of Northern, Central California

Fresno Bee

The National Weather Service issued a red flag warning Tuesday due to high fire danger across much of Northern and Central California. Forecasters said gusty north winds coupled with dry conditions and low humidity will create critical fire conditions over the next couple of days in portions of the Central Valley and Delta regions.

Fresno Fire may remain understaffed due to budget constraints

abc30

It’s a busy season for Fresno firefighters, as they’re responding to a recent spike in calls. They’re not short of work, but they are short of people and they may have to stay understaffed a while longer.

CAL FIRE Suspends Burn Permits in Fresno and Kings Counties

Clovis RoundUp

Due to increased fire danger caused by dry conditions and dead grass, CAL FIRE has suspended all burn permits that are in the State Responsibility Area (SRA) in Fresno and Kings County. The suspension went into effect Monday, June 15 and bans all residential hazard reduction burning of landscape debris such as branches and leaves, according to a news release from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

With illegal firework use on the rise, local fire departments implement additional measures

Bakersfield Californian

Frustration was beginning to fester this month for some Wasco residents who felt nothing was being done to stop an apparent increase in the use of illegal fireworks, according to Wasco City Manager Daniel Ortiz.

ECONOMY/JOBS

Economy:

SBDC webinar looks at changes to federal business loan program

Bakersfield Californian

Local small businesses are invited to tune in Wednesday to a free webinar focusing on changes Congress recently made to the federal Paycheck Protection Program. Set to begin at noon, the one-hour event is the 14th in a weekly series hosted by Cal State Bakersfield’s Small Business Development Center.

Stocks Soar After Strong Retail Sales And Reported Trump Infrastructure Plan

VPR

U.S. stock markets surged Tuesday after reports that retail sales rebounded strongly in May and that the Trump administration is preparing an infrastructure plan to boost the economy, which has been battered by the coronavirus crisis.

U.S. retail sales double forecast in record rebound

Los Angeles Times

U.S. retail sales jumped in May by the most on record and double forecasts, regaining more ground than expected after unprecedented drops the prior two months, as states allowed more merchants to reopen.

Stocks rally on Wall Street and worldwide with hope for the economy

Los Angeles Times

Stocks are rallying worldwide on Tuesday, and Wall Street is heading for its third straight gain after U.S. retail sales rebounded last month by much more than economists were expecting.

Many White Americans Are Ready To Reopen The Economy. Black Americans Aren’t.

FiveThirtyEight

With even hard-hit states like New York allowing businesses to bring their stores back to life, Americans are wrestling with one of COVID-19’s most painful tradeoffs: a damaged economy with millions out of work because of public health measures put in place to slow the spread of the virus.

Jobs:

CHP overtime costs for George Floyd police brutality protests estimated at $38.2 million

Fresno Bee

The California Highway Patrol spent more than $38.2 million in overtime costs associated with police brutality protests at the state Capitol and other areas in the state, according to new figures released Tuesday.

See Also:

Target to boost employee minimum wage to $15 per hour, give frontline workers $200 bonus

abc30

This summer, retail giant Target will boost its minimum wage to $15 per hour, double the federal minimum wage.

CSUB webinar today on latest changes to Paycheck Protection Program loan forgiveness

Things To Know Today – CSUB

Small businesses can learn about recent congressional changes to the SBA Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) and the effects on successfully managing their PPP loans and debt forgiveness in a free webinar hosted by the Small Business Development Center at CSU Bakersfield today.

“Managing Your Small Business during the Pandemic Crisis” will be online Wednesday, June 17, from noon to 1 p.m.

First deal on California state worker pay cuts: What correctional officers give up, get

Sacramento Bee

California correctional officers would take one furlough day per month and defer raises for two years under a proposed agreement their union has negotiated with Gov.

Lack Of COVID-19 Information For Indigenous Workers In Fresno County A Concern

VPR

As businesses in Fresno County begin to re-open amid a continuing rise in COVID-19 cases, one community organization is asking county health officials to ensure the safety of indigenous speaking essential workers. 

What happens when a police officer gets fired? Very often another police agency hires them.

Washington Post

During the past few weeks, the broadest national protests in U.S. history have centered on racism and police violence. In a new paper in the Yale Law Journal, Ben Grunwald and John Rappaport provide important context for contemporary discussions of policing, focusing on the phenomenon of “wandering officers,” law enforcement officers who are fired from one agency only to be rehired by another.

Listen: How did a conservative Supreme Court rule for LGBTQ employment rights?

Brookings 

On Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Title VII protections under the Civil Rights Act of 1964 protect LGBTQ Americans from employment discrimination on the basis of sex. In a new episode of the Current, Jonathan Rauch breaks down the majority opinion—penned by the conservative Justice Neil Gorsuch—and the broader implications this case has for LGBTQ rights in the United States.

See also:

EDUCATION

K-12:

Fresno Unified increases funding to keep police on campus, despite cries to defund

Fresno Bee

School districts across the country are rethinking their relationships with law enforcement agencies after protests erupted amid calls to reform systemic racism. However, the Fresno Unified School District will spend more money next year on police officers on campus at a time it is losing millions of dollars.

Some lawmakers want to take away federal funds if schools don’t reopen by Sept. 8

Fresno Bee

The bill’s sponsors are calling it a “carrot-and-stick” approach to getting schools back in session.

As Porterville waits for new library, city looks to bring library services to streets

abc30

It’s been almost four months since a fire took the lives of two Porterville firefighters and the city’s only library.

KHSD considering bond measure for November election

Bakersfield Californian

The Kern High School District is considering a bond measure for the November election that could be used to expand vocational education training, build a new school or both. 

5 Radical Schooling Ideas For An Uncertain Fall, And Beyond

VPR

There is no one answer for what the coming school year will look like, but it won’t resemble the fall of 2019. Wherever classrooms are open, there will likely be some form of social distancing and other hygiene measures in place that challenge traditional teaching and learning. Future outbreaks will make for unpredictable waves of closures. Virtual learning will continue. And all this will happen amid a historic funding crunch. 

Opinion: Children’s Scholarship Fund Helps Kids Attend Private Schools

National Review

It has by now become a familiar and depressing trope: Those hit hardest by the pandemic and the ensuing lockdown were the families that could least afford it.

Higher Ed:

3 people at Fresno State test positive for coronavirus, university says

abc30

Three people at Fresno State have tested positive for COVID-19, University President Dr. Joseph Castro confirmed on Monday night. Castro said the patients have recently worked on campus but did not elaborate on their positions at the university. He said the cases did not occur through community spread.

McCarthy, Clyburn, Cox kick off BC’s Juneteenth Conversation series

Bakersfield Californian

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn and Rep. TJ Cox were some of the individuals who kicked off Bakersfield College’s weeklong #LightACandle: A Juneteenth Conversation Monday night by discussing racism and social injustice in the country.

The Role of Community Colleges in Supporting Mental Health

PPIC

With two-thirds of California community college students reporting higher levels of mental distress during the pandemic, colleges can play a central role in providing counseling, financial assistance, and other support.

ENVIRONMENT/ENERGY

Environment:

State says local air district too generous with emission credits

Bakersfield Californian

State air quality officials have accused Central Valley regulators of undermining local anti-pollution measures by repeatedly miscalculating emission credits for the benefit of industry.

Energy:

As oil prices crashed, tankers idled off California—spewing pollution for weeks

National Geographic

This scrum of oil tankers, right next to the Los Angeles basin, emitted tons of air pollutants and CO2 while they were parked.

University of California divests from fossil fuels, puts $1 billion into clean energy

Cronkite News

Student activism has shaped history in powerful ways, and college students have gained traction recently on a long-standing front: divestment of endowment and pension funds from the fossil fuel industry.

California legislators ask Congress to include clean energy in COVID-19 relief efforts

Solar Power World

Facing soaring unemployment, ominous predictions for the 2020 wildfire season and the persistent threat of climate change, this week a bipartisan group of California State Legislators led by Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel (D-Encino) sent a joint letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Bakersfield) urging immediate economic recovery action around clean energy.

HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES

Health:

Dr. Rais Vohra and rising COVID-19 deaths

Fresno Bee

Dr. Rais Vohra, Fresno County’s interim health officer, discusses the accelerating number of deaths attributable to COVID-19, and the need for residents to take precautions against spreading the coronavirus.

See Also:

The ages of coronavirus cases are dropping.

Mercury News

An analysis found that 44 percent of cases are now in people 34 or younger. A month ago, that figure was 29 percent.

The ultimate covid-19 mystery: Why does it spare some and kill others?

Washington Post

Months into a pandemic that has killed more than 400,000 people globally, scientists are still trying to understand the wildly variable nature of covid-19. Among their lines of inquiry: Are distinct strains of the coronavirus more dangerous? Does a patient’s blood type affect the severity of the illness? Do other genetic factors play a role?

UK study: First drug proves able to improve survival from COVID-19

abc30

Researchers in England say they have the first evidence that a drug can improve COVID-19 survival: A cheap, widely available steroid called dexamethasone reduced deaths by up to one third in severely ill hospitalized patients.

Supervisor: COVID-19 outbreaks at skilled nursing facilities like a ‘hand grenade’

Bakersfield Californian

A growing sense of dread that Kern County’s 19 skilled nursing facilities are not doing enough to stop the spread of coronavirus left local officials scrambling for answers during Tuesday’s Board of Supervisors meeting.

See also:

Early Results Show Benefit Of Steroid For Very Sick COVID-19 Patients

VPR
A low-cost anti-inflammatory drug appears to reduce the risk of death in patients with COVID-19. The drug is called dexamethasone. It’s been used for decades to treat conditions such as arthritis and asthma. Because patients with advanced COVID-19 disease can have severe lung inflammation, scientists wanted to see if dexamethasone could treat that condition.

See Also:

‘A threat to our children.’ How racism can affect a child’s mental and physical health

Modesto Bee

The killing of George Floyd last month again brought racism into the national conversation and triggered worldwide protests. However, racism doesn’t manifest only as egregious acts, but covers a wide spectrum, including subtle oppression from inequities in the systems of justice, education, employment and even health care.

Masks help slow the spread of coronavirus. So why aren’t more people wearing them?

Modesto Bee

With lessening of the restrictions for shopping and dining out since May 20, Stanislaus County has seen the largest increase in positive COVID-19 cases since the start of the pandemic, with the single day of 23% of tests being positive last Saturday.

See also:

Coronavirus recommendations ignored as case numbers rise

Washington Post

Coronavirus infections continued to rise in many parts of a divided nation on Monday, with public health recommendations under attack from communities tired of staying home and officials eager to restart local economies.

How Exactly Do You Catch Covid-19? There Is a Growing Consensus

Wall Street Journal

Six months into the coronavirus crisis, there’s a growing consensus about a central question: How do people become infected? It’s not common to contract Covid-19 from a contaminated surface, scientists say. And fleeting encounters with people outdoors are unlikely to spread the coronavirus.

Commentary: Race gaps in COVID-19 deaths are even bigger than they appear

Brookings

The COVID-19 pandemic has been like the flash of an X-ray, exposing the deep fractures in U.S. society – not least by race. New data from CDCshows that the death rates among Black and Hispanic/Latino people are much higher than for white people, in all age categories.

Human Services:

Valley Children’s ranked one of best children’s hospitals in seven specialties

Visalia Times Delta

U.S. News & World Report named Valley Children’s as one of the nation’s best children’s hospitals in the country for several specialties. It’s the fifth year the publication recognized Valley Children’s, but this year the hospital earned the highest number of rankings it has ever received.

See Also:

CalPERS health insurance prices to notch upward next year for state workers

Fresno Bee

California state worker and retiree health insurance prices are going up 4.4% on average next year, according to preliminary rates CalPERS published Tuesday.

Donate blood to the Red Cross and learn if you might have immunity to COVID-19

Modesto Bee

The American Red Cross has begun COVID-19 antibody testing of all blood, platelet and plasma donations, providing donors insight into whether they have been exposed to the virus and an opportunity to help people suffering from it.

Medicaid Rolls Surge, Adding to Budget Woes

PEW
Nearly 27 million Americans could lose their employer-sponsored health insurance over the course of the pandemic, the Kaiser Family Foundation projected last month. Medicaid, the joint federal-state health plan for low-income Americans, already consumes more than a fifth of state budgets.

‘Things have gotten ugly’ — pandemic pushback drives health directors to quit

CALmatters

Local public health officers haven’t been this important in a century. They’re also being second-guessed, harassed and threatened by residents angry about pandemic precautions.

We cannot abandon seniors and people with disabilities in the state budget

CALmatters

As state and local governments across the country scramble to cover the largest budget deficits in a generation, we face heartbreaking decisions about what we can and cannot pay for. 

A collision of epidemics: Coronavirus disrupts addiction treatment

CALmatters

During the pandemic, “there’s likely much more use of substances that we’re not capturing,” one expert said. Early signs suggest drops in people connected to care.

The Role of Community Colleges in Supporting Mental Health

PPIC

With two-thirds of California community college students reporting higher levels of mental distress during the pandemic, colleges can play a central role in providing counseling, financial assistance, and other support.

OPINION: Contact tracing is the key weapon against covid-19

Washington Post

Years ago, while spending a summer in Los Angeles, I fell cripplingly ill. I could not get out of bed. My spine was racked with pain. Being an idiot, I did not call a doctor. But after a week or so, I got better. I started walking my dog again and went straight to our usual park.

IMMIGRATION

Justices reject Trump’s bid to void sanctuary state law blamed for 2018 ‘reign of terror’

Visalia Times Delta

The Supreme Court rejected the Trump administration’s bid to throw out a California immigrant-sanctuary law that limits local police cooperation with federal immigration authorities. The justices’ order Monday leaves in place lower court rulings that upheld the law. Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas voted to hear the administration’s appeal.

See Also:

Canada, U.S. agree to keep the border closed to nonessential travel for another month

Fresno Bee

Tourists and cross-border visits remain prohibited.

When Workers Can Live Anywhere, Many Ask: Why Do I Live Here?

Wall Street Journal

Coronavirus prompts Americans to reassess the need to reside near hot job markets.

Editorial: Trump’s Immigration Choice

Wall Street Journal

He may ban the foreign guest workers the recovery needs.

Editorial: Trump’s latest efforts to sabotage asylum should remind you why he has to go

Los Angeles Times

As leader of one of the most confused, inconsistent and impulsive administrations in American history, President Trump has at least managed to be consistent in one area: his drive to reduce immigration to as thin a trickle as he can.

LAND USE/HOUSING

Land Use:

All of California’s national parks are open. Kind of. We can explain

Los Angeles Times

All of California’s 11 national parks and recreation areas are now at least partly open. The portions still closed, however, include such iconic spots as Alcatraz and Muir Woods in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Gov. Gavin Newsom is urging Californians to postpone leisure travel until the pandemic eases.

Housing:

Central Valley Home Sales See A Covid Tumble For May

Business Journal

Existing home sales in California saw a sharp drop in May attributed to the coronavirus crisis, and the Central Valley was no different, according to the latest figures from the California Association of Realtors.

Full impact of coronavirus pandemic hits California housing market in May, C.A.R. reports

Cision PR Newswire

California home sales fell to the lowest level since the Great Recession as the housing market suffered the full impact of the coronavirus pandemic in May and remained below 300,000 for the second straight month, the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (C.A.R.) said today. 

PUBLIC FINANCES

California is closer than ever to giving a tax break to undocumented immigrants. Here’s why

Fresno Bee

Will tax breaks for undocumented families and Medi-Cal coverage for undocumented seniors make it into the California’s final budget this year?

Will California raise taxes to fix its budget? Here are 5 taxes added since the Great Recession

Fresno Bee

As California lawmakers come to grips with a projected deficit running into the tens of billions of dollars, calls for more taxes targeted at high-earners are beginning to emerge among certain unions and advocates for social services.

With Tax Deadline Looming, IRS Faces Backlog As It Transitions Out Of COVID-19 Crisis

VPR

Federal workers are starting to be called back into their offices in some areas, and among the first to be returning are employees of the Internal Revenue Service. It’s a busy time.

How the COVID-19 pandemic is delaying inheritances

Los Angeles Times

Your grandsons will have to wait awhile. California probate is slow at the best of times, with a typical case taking eight to 12 months or more. Pandemic-related court closures are adding many months to the process. Courts are slowly reopening but dealing with a significant backlog of filings.

Commentary: A universal basic income is less attractive if it needs to be paid for

AEI

I thought Andrew Yang’s political campaign might mark Peak UBI. First, the rest of the Democratic field seemed dismissive. Second, it seemed strange to call for a massive, new, and untried social program at a time of record low unemployment. Third, there really wasn’t much evidence that robots were about to take all the jobs, as Yang argued.

TRANSPORTATION

A small airline with some intriguing services moves from Oakdale to Modesto Airport

Modesto Bee

Sierra West Airlines, based in Oakdale for about a quarter-century, has a new home at the Modesto Airport. The business flies two Learjets with up to seven passengers each, plus cargo planes that deliver a variety of items. One specialty – animal rescue flights – recently drew media attention.

Airlines say they’ll get tough on passenger face masks

SFGate

If flying during the COVID-19 era, would you agree to wear a mask throughout your flight and expect that fellow passengers would do the same?  Several weeks ago, major airlines all issued new policies requiring passengers to mask up during their flights, but those policies lacked an essential element: teeth.

CDC Now Recommends Driving Alone. But What If You Don’t Have A Car?

KPCC
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently took an unusual step of encouraging people to drive alone— the exact opposite of what cities have urged people to do for years.

House transport bill would end Amtrak’s forced arbitration

Roll Call

Tucked in the $494 billion, five-year highway bill that the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee is set to mark up Wednesday is a measure that would end Amtrak’s controversial policy of barring passengers from suing if they’re hurt or killed in crashes.

Editorial: It’s now or never to save California’s bullet train

Los Angeles Times

Infrastructure mega-projects that run wildly over budget and far past their deadline for completion all tend to suffer from the same fundamental problem: optimism bias. That’s the tendency to underestimate the challenges in building huge, complex public works and to overestimate the benefits those projects will deliver.

WATER

Be careful what you find floating in the lake; it might be makings of a nightmare

Fresno Bee

Several years ago I wrote about a special fishing trip to Don Pedro I had with my dad and my grandpa Louis when I was about 15 years old. For Father’s Day, I thought I would once again share it.

City Council decides to move forward with surface water treatment plant project

Turlock Journal

As the City of Turlock enters the third year in a five-year water rate increase schedule, the City Council held a special meeting to review the plans made — and potential options — when it comes to securing a reliable source of drinking water.

Commentary: How to Address Groundwater Planning Gaps

PPIC
In these extraordinary times, managing groundwater for long-term sustainability may not seem like a top priority. But in the San Joaquin Valley—where groundwater supplies have been declining for decades—excess pumping is a critical problem, with major implications for public health, jobs, the environment, and local economies.

“Xtra”

Pandemic claims another victim: Modesto’s annual Fourth of July Parade

Modesto Bee

The new coronavirus pandemic has claimed another victim — Modesto’s annual Fourth of July Parade, which started in 1874, is among California’s oldest, and in recent years has drawn thousands upon thousands of spectators to downtown.