POLICY & POLITICS
North SJ Valley:
State makes face coverings mandatory
Turlock Journal
As the number of COVID-19 cases continues to rise in the state and in the county, health officiaLA are issuing new orders that mandate wearing face coverings when out in public.
See also:
● EDITORIAL: Quit bellyaching and wear a mask. It’s mandatory, and it’s better than the alternative Modesto Bee
Central SJ Valley:
Fresno City Council votes on controversial ‘stranglehold’ restraint used by police
Fresno Bee
The Fresno City Council on Thursday banned the use of the chokehold police commonly call a “carotid restraint,” which was deemed too dangerous by Gov. Gavin Newsom.
See also:
● ‘Virtual terrorists’ spew hate speech at Fresno meetings. Here’s what the council’s doing Fresno Bee
● City Of Fresno Declares June 18th Black Lives Matter Day, Approves Chokehold Ban VPR
How a pandemic exposed racial inequality, food insecurity in California’s Central Valley
Fresno Bee
The fallout from the crisis only intensified the existing food insecurity issue, making it even tougher for families to afford healthy and nutritious meals.
See also:
● Listen: Race and gender gaps in COVID-19 deaths Brookings
Fresno celebrates Black Lives Matter Day with street painting, chalk art
Fresno Bee
About 200 people came together in front of Fresno City Hall on Thursday morning for the Black Lives Matter Annual Proclamation and Street Art Event.
EDITORIAL: With face masks a must, it is time for Fresno Councilman Garry Bredefeld to put one on
Fresno Bee
Cloth masks can help significantly reduce the spread of the coronavirus. That’s why Gov. Gavin Newsom was right on Thursday to order the mandatory wearing of masks throughout the state, superseding local authority.
South SJ Valley:
Kern County health dept announces 78 new COVID-19 cases, 1 additional death
Bakersfield Californian
The Kern County Public Health Services Department announced 78 new confirmed COVID-19 cases Wednesday as well as an additional coronavirus-related fatality locally.
State:
Newsom issues statewide mask order: Californians must wear face coverings in public
Fresno Bee
Californians must wear masks in all indoor public spaces under a mandate announced Thursday by Gov. Gavin Newsom designed to slow the spread of COVID-19.
See also:
● Who has to wear a mask in Calif? What happens if you don’t? Answers to your questions Fresno Bee
● Californians Must Now Wear Masks Or Face Coverings In Public Capital Public Radio
● Californians must wear face masks in public under coronavirus order issued by Newsom LA Times
● Where you must wear a mask in Calif under sweeping new rules LA Times
● Column: Newsom’s new mask order won’t sit well with the resistance. I know. They’re packing my inbox LA Times
● Not an option: Gov orders statewide mask use amid scattered pushback CALmatters
● Coronavirus Special Report: Why contact tracing and masks matter Roll Call
● Surging covid-19 cases lead to new wave of mask requirements Washington Post
● EDITORIAL: Coronavirus is back on the upswing and people are complaining about … masks? LA Times
Gavin Newsom signs law ordering mail-in ballots for November election
Fresno Bee
Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a law Thursday requiring elections officials to mail a ballot to every registered, active voter in the state ahead of the November election.
See also:
● Calif bill to give every voter a mail-in ballot headed to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk Fresno Bee
● Calif Assembly OKs bill to send mail-in ballots to all registered voters UPI
● Calif enacts November mail-ballot law — with surprising GOP support POLITICO
● Congress must act now to help states with vote-by-mail in November, experts say Roll Call
After PPE shortages, Calif Dems propose $250 million stockpile for next pandemic
Fresno Bee
Two Senate Democrats have introduced a measure that would require the state Department of Public Health to stockpile a 90-day supply of PPE in preparation for the next pandemic or health crisis. They estimate it would cost about $250 million.
What you need to know about legal sports betting in California
Fresno Bee
Californians might get the right to bet legally on sports as early as 2021, joining nearly two dozen other states. Californians already wager billions of dollars illegally on sports. Here are five things to know about legal sports betting here.
Federal:
Supreme Court Rules For DREAMers, Against Trump
Capital Public Radio
In a major rebuke to President Trump, the U.S. Supreme Court has blocked the administration’s plan to dismantle an Obama-era program that has protected more than 600,000 so-called DREAMers from deportation.
See also:
● What Supreme Court’s DACA ruling means for CA ‘Dreamers’ CalMatters
● ‘I don’t have to keep worrying’: Calif DACA recipients celebrate Supreme Court ruling Fresno Bee
● ‘Big win.’ Fresno-area Dreamer, advocates celebrate Supreme Court’s ruling Fresno Bee
● CSUB president praises Supreme Court’s decision on DACA Bakersfield Californian
● After Supreme Court DACA decision, state universities commit support to immigrant students LA Times
● California ‘Dreamers’ Celebrate U.S. Supreme Court’s DACA Ruling Capital Public Radio
● Supreme Court rejected Trump’s attempt to end DACA. Now what? LA Times
● Supreme Court Rules Against Trump Administration In DACA Case VPR
● Trump says he will renew effort to end DACA protections PBS newsHour
● Trump Vows to Submit ‘Enhanced Papers’ After Supreme Court DACA Ruling Bloomberg
● Supreme Court rules against Trump’s attempt to end DACA, a win for undocumented ‘Dreamers’ brought to U.S. as children Washington Post
● Supreme Court Holds Trump Administration Rescission of DACA Was “Arbitrary and Capricious” (Updated) Reason
● EDITORIAL: With its DACA decision, the Supreme Court makes it clear Congress must fix this LA Times
5 things you should know about John Bolton’s book
LA Times
The self-justification for the entire exercise comes after some 483 pages, when Bolton tries to explain why he refused to testify during Trump’s impeachment in the House — only to lay it all out in this book, for which he was given a $2-million advance.
See also:
● Trump calls Bolton & other former top aides ‘dopes.’ Why did he hire them? LA Times
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 San Francisco Chronicle
● Coronavirus in the U.S.: Latest Map and Case Count New York Times
● How many coronavirus cases have been reported in each U.S. state? Politico
● Coronavirus Daily NPR
● Coronavirus tracked: the latest figures as the pandemic spreads Financial Times
● Coronavirus in California by the numbers CalMatters
Elections 2020:
Facebook removes Trump ads with symbols once used by Nazis
Fresno Bee
Facebook has removed campaign ads by President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence that featured an upside-down red triangle, a symbol once used by Nazis to designate political prisoners, communists and others in concentration camps.
See also:
● Facebook removes Trump campaign ads featuring symbol used by Nazis LA Times
● Twitter labels Trump video tweet as manipulated media, continuing its crackdown on misinformation Washington Post
● Facebook removes Trump ads with symbol once used by Nazis to designate political prisonersWashington Post
Trump’s Handling of COVID-19 Is Creating Headwinds for November
Public Policy Institute of California
There is remarkable consensus when it comes to Trump’s handling of the coronavirus outbreak. Majorities across the state’s major regional, racial/ethnic, age, education, and income groups say they disapprove. Partisans are deeply divided (81% Republicans approve, 89% Democrats disapprove), while 54% of independents disapprove.
See also:
● AP-NORC poll: Trump adds to divisions in an unhappy country AP
● Trump Says, ‘Fox Is Terrible!’ After Poll Shows Biden Surge Forbes
Trump mounts campaign for more debates against Biden
POLITICO
The president has tapped Rudy Giuliani to press the Commission on Presidential Debates for major change.
Trump says mail-in voting could cost him reelection
POLITICO
President Donald Trump called mail-in voting the biggest threat to his reelection and said his campaign’s multimillion-dollar legal effort to block expanded ballot access could determine whether he wins a second term.
Biden’s ad launch signals new strength in his campaign to unseat President Trump
LA Times
Joe Biden has launched his first major advertising campaign of the general election race, spending $15 million in key states where President Trump is running spots attacking the former vice president.
Sen. Amy Klobuchar asks Joe Biden to pick a woman of color as his running mate
Washington Post
Klobuchar, a Democrat from Minnesota and a former presidential candidate, effectively withdrew from consideration as Biden’s running mate. She told MSNBC that she spoke to Biden on Wednesday, telling him, “This is a historic moment and America must seize on this moment.”
See also:
● Who Is Val Demings? Florida Congresswoman On Biden VP List NPR
Progressive donor group announces $59M vote-by-mail campaign
AP
A network of deep-pocketed progressive donors is launching a $59 million effort to encourage people of color to vote by mail in November, a step many Democrats view as crucial to turning out the party’s base during the coronavirus pandemic.
Politifact California
A Facebook post that gained traction ahead of California’s presidential primary in March has new life, but spouts some of the same misleading information. The post — reposted to Facebook June 6 — claims California’s registered independents must re-register with the GOP “to vote republican come 2020.” It also alleges, without evidence, that the state came up with this requirement “hoping no one figures it out in time.”
Other:
Juneteenth: A day of joy and pain – and now national action
Fresno Bee
Friday’s celebrations will be marked from coast to coast with marches and demonstrations of civil disobedience, along with expressions of black joy in spite of an especially traumatic time for the nation.
See also:
● Black Leaders Are Creating Healing Spaces To Combat The Mental Stress Of Racism, InjusticeCapital Public Radio
● Anger, Action, Answers: A Central California Conversation abc30.com
● This Juneteenth, we should uplift America’s Black businesses Brookings
● Juneteenth: Why one day marking African American freedom rose above others Politifact
● Opinion: The Gaps Between White and Black America, in Charts New York Times
● Opinion: Why Juneteenth matters New York Times
Generals strike—The Politicisation of the American military
The Economist
America is in the midst of its worst civil-military crisis for a generation. President Trump’s call to use military force to quell protests caused alarm up and down the chain of command. What is the place of the military in political life? We speak to Shashank Joshi, The Economist’s defense editor, and Republican Congressman Mike Gallagher, an Iraq veteran.
Lowry: Confederate Statues Debate: Conservatives Shouldn’t Defend Symbols of Secession
National Review
Secession was a traitorous act that threatened to destroy the American nation, and the South’s leaders don’t deserve to be given a place of honor.
AGRICULTURE/FOOD
‘All smoke and mirrors’: How Trump’s meatpacking order has failed to keep workers safe
Bakersfield Californian
Since the executive order, COVID-19 cases tied to meatpacking plants have skyrocketed from fewer than 5,000 to more than 25,000 as of last week, according to tracking from the Midwest Center for Investigative Reporting.
How Has COVID-19 Affected Farms?, The Benefits of Cover Crops, and more
California AG Today
How is California agriculture adapting to the new reality of COVID-19 and social distancing?
Small farms that lost business from restaurants and other food-service clients have been looking for alternative customers or business models.
China to Accelerate U.S. Farm Purchases After Hawaii Talks
Bloomberg
China plans to accelerate purchases of American farm goods to comply with the phase one trade deal with the U.S. following talks in Hawaii this week.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE/FIRE/PUBLIC SAFETY
Crime:
No timeline on possible charges in Visalia Jeep incident at protest, DA’s office says
Fresno Bee
Nearly three weeks after video footage emerged showing a Jeep appearing to hit two protesters at a Black Lives Matter protest in Visalia, the case has been officially turned over to the Tulare County District Attorney’s Office for review.
Modesto Bee
It would be perfectly fine if the people who showed up to counter Wednesday’s Black Lives Matter protest in Oakdale had something valuable to say. But that clearly wasn’t the intent of counterprotesters, some of whom just wanted to pick a fight.
Public Safety:
CDCR expands early release programs as COVID-19 outbreaks continue in prisons
Visalia Times Delta
The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation will continue the early release of some inmates to help stop the spread of COVID-19. Beginning July 1, the agency will implement a community supervision program.
Defund the marijuana police? Reports call for Calif to shift from law enforcement focus
Fresno Bee
The state wants the cops to investigate unlicensed and criminal cannabis activity and conduct activities that require a peace officer’s authority, according to a budget request document submitted by the bureau.
Kern Co settles class-action lawsuit with disability rights groups over juvenile facilities
Bakersfield Californian
Kern County has settled a class-action lawsuit filed by two disability rights groups.
While some California police unions promise change, others seek to undo reforms
San Francisco Chronicle
While three of California’s biggest local police unions are taking out full-page newspaper ads promising to back reforms, other law enforcement organizations have pumped more than $2 million into a November ballot measure that would partially overturn laws that some call modeLA for reforming the criminal justice system.
Republican rift opens up over qualified immunity for police
TheHill
GOP divisions are emerging on whether to change qualified immunity for police as part of a reform bill.
What does ‘defund the police’ mean and does it have merit?
Brookings
Defunding the police has been a critical part of the national conversation around police misconduct toward Black Americans, but there are many different interpretations of the phrase. Rashawn Ray explains what “defund the police” means in terms of fiscal responsibility, arguments in its favor, and what it would look like to make it possible.
See also:
● What does ‘Defund the Police’ really mean? World Economic Forum
Commentary: The Overlooked Role of Guns in the Police-Reform Debate
The Atlantic
Something is weirdly absent from the general discussion about police violence in America: the weapon most commonly used to inflict it.
Fire:
Judge fines PG&E in Camp Fire manslaughter case, laments utility ‘cannot be sent to prison’
Fresno Bee
PG&E Corp. received its criminal sentence Thursday for igniting the deadliest wildfire in California history: a $4 million fine that the judge and prosecutor acknowledged may have been too small for the crimes committed.
California, Watch The Wildfires In Arizona, They May Be A Preview Of What’s To Come Later This Year
Capital Public Radio
California should take a lesson from what’s happening with wildfires in Arizona right now, says UCLA climate scientist Daniel Swain. More than 220,000 acres have burned in active wildfires across that state.
ECONOMY/JOBS
Economy:
This Valley Casino is in no rush to open. Here’s what’s different from other tribal casinos
Fresno Bee
Eagle Mountain Casino, located in the Sierra Nevada foothills of Tulare County east of Porterville, closed its doors at 4 a.m. on March 18, after having already canceled a couple of entertainment performances that were planned for March and April.
Micro-lending Fund Helping Small Businesses in Sierra Communities
CA FWD
The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a mighty toll on the small businesses of the Truckee and North Lake Tahoe region of the Sierra Nevada. A new and innovative nonprofit lending program seeks to help make them whole again.
AMC Theatres will reopen July 15. Will people show up?
LA Times
AMC Chief Executive Adam Aron said the company has worked for months on its four-phase plan for limited capacity and strict sanitation protocols that he hopes will make customers feel safe returning to theaters for the first time since mid-March.
Jobs:
Gov’t loans helped save millions of jobs, but the money is running out for many
LA Times
The surprising jobs rebound in May, which fueled hopes for a fast recovery from the pandemic recession, was almost certainly due in large part to tens of billions of dollars of forgivable government loans to small businesses.
California jobless claims fall amid coronavirus re-openings
Mercury News
But a jaw-dropping 5.43 million California workers have filed first-time claims for unemployment benefits, a milestone reached almost exactly three months after state and local government officiaLA began to impose business shutdowns and stay-at-home orders to combat the deadly bug.
See also:
● 1.5 Million File For Unemployment, But Continuing Claims Decrease Slightly VPR
● U.S., California unemployment claims continue to decline, but overall picture still grim SF Chronicle
● 6.2 Million Californians Claim UI and PUA in 13 Weeks California Center for Jobs & the Economy
● U.S. Unemployment Claims Edge Lower but Remain Historically High Wall Street Journal
EDUCATION
K-12:
How will Fresno schools change this fall? It could be a lot different — especially for sports
Fresno Bee
Staggered times for parents to drop off children. No field trips. Lunches eaten in classrooms where students will remain throughout the day instead of moving between periods.
See also:
● Fresno Unified Schools Will Resume In-Person And Online Instruction This Fall VPR
Fresno County school district celebrates a new beginning
Fresno Bee
Laton Middle School breaks ground for a long-sought multi-purpose building and administrative offices in a ceremony Thursday, June 18, 2020 in Laton. The project should be complete by fall 2021.
KHSD releases COVID-19 guidelines for graduation ceremonies
Kern Sol News
The Kern High School District on Wednesday released guidelines for graduation ceremonies, which are set to take place the week of June 22, to help reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission.
State superintendent says pandemic ‘uncovered an embarrassing reality’ of digital divide
Visalia Times Delta
But even if students are back in the classroom in the fall, distance learning likely isn’t going away, as schools explore hybrid models of in-person and remote learning to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
California schools brace for lawsuits as they plan to reopen
Merced Sun-Star
COVID-19 has introduced both new costs and threatened funding for California’s schools, which are facing unprecedented questions about classroom safety as they plan for fall reopening.
FUSD Teacher Coalition Pushes For Ethnic Studies Curriculum
VPR
A coalition of five Fresno Unified School District teachers is asking the district to develop an ethnic studies program for the K-12 curriculum. Right now ethnic studies classes are considered elective and are currently only offered in high school. Lauren Beal, an ethnic studies teacher at Edison High School, says the class should be a requirement at every grade level.
California districts look to rename schools linked to racist history
EdSource
As the Black Lives Matter movement gains momentum nationwide, some communities in California are moving to rename local schools that some say glorify a racist and painful past.
Higher Ed:
Undocumented Fresno-area community college students will get coronavirus-relief cash
Fresno Bee
Fresno City College can begin issuing cash grants to undocumented and other previously ineligible students left out of the CARES funding that went out in May, according to the California Community College system.
Why Stan State students are petitioning for a refund of fall semester fees
Modesto Bee
An online petition to remove “extra fees” being charged to California State University, Stanislaus, students for the fall semester, during which they’ll study remotely, was well on its way Thursday to its goal of 5,000 signatures.
Money
California State University, Fresno recently received $32 million of the more than $525 million given to the California State University system via the CARES Act. Of that $32 million, $16 million was provided to students as emergency grants. The money is meant to help students pay for things like food, housing, childcare, healthcare and course materiaLA, amid the economic turmoil caused by the coronavirus.
Editorial: A stripper at a Fresno State wrestling party? Univ must explain what happened
Fresno Bee
At the prompting of Bee staff writer Robert Kuwada, Fresno State admitted it is investigating if a stripper performed at a party held for recruits to the Bulldog men’s wrestling program.
CSUB Programs for migrant and farmworker students receive $425,000
CSUB News
California State University, Bakersfield was recently selected to receive funding under the College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP) and the High School Equivalency Program (HEP). For the next five years, CAMP will be given a grant in the amount of $424,950.
California moves toward requiring CSU students to take ethnic studies to graduate
EdSource
California State University students may soon have a new course requirement for graduation — a 3-unit class in ethnic studies, aimed at broadening students’ awareness of nonwhite racial and ethnic groups. But whether the requirement is one described by a state law or the leadership of the university is up in the air.
CALmatters
In the wake of the heartless killing of George Floyd, and as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to exact a devastating and disproportionate toll on communities of color, never before have I sensed a feeling of helplessness so profound, held by so many.
ENVIRONMENT/ENERGY
Environment:
Bill ties offshore drilling to national parks funding
Business Journal
What some are calling the most important conservation bill passed in 50 years made its way out of the U.S. Senate and will soon be before the House of Representatives.
CEMEX wants to blast 600-foot open pit mine on San Joaquin River north of Fresno. Here’s why
Fresno Bee
Proposal would expand operations by blasting and drilling into hard rock.
Energy:
Large solar project in eastern Kern would be developer’s first for ‘community choice’ groups
Bakersfield Californian
A utility-scale solar developer from LA that’s already spent more than $1 billion building projects in eastern Kern has signed its first agreement with coastal groups looking to leverage available land in the county’s high desert to achieve ambitious renewable energy goals.
HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES
Health:
Fresno Co reports largest single-day COVID-19 increase as Valley cases rise
Fresno Bee
Fresno County reported its largest single-day increase in COVID-19 cases on Thursday, adding 158 new coronavirus cases and one more death.
See also:
● Merced Co reports 20 new coronavirus cases, 211 active infections Fresno Bee
● COVID-19: 8 more deaths, Tulare Co infections near 3,000 cases Visalia Times Delta
Hospital bed capacity helps states measure COVID-19 spread. Here’s why it matters
Fresno Bee
But unlike testing, which has recently increased tenfold across much of the U.S., “hospitalizations can help give officials a real-time visual of how many people are severely ill with COVID-19,” the Miami Herald reported.
The US Is Done With COVID-19, But COVID-19 Is Not Done With the US
Time
t’s been months now since U.S. President Donald Trump predicted his miracle. That was back in February, during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, when the president announced that come April, when the weather got warmer, the coronavirus would “miraculously [go] away.”
See also:
● Decline in new US virus deaths may be temporary reprieve KBAK
Dr. Brij Bhambi: Herd immunity as a thought experiment
Bakersfield Californian
Famously Albert Einstein developed thought experiments to decipher mysteries of nature. We are trying to decipher our perilous lives in times of COVID-19. It’s time for a thought experiment. Societal consequences, a jump in mental illnesses, a ruined school year, delayed careers, exacerbation of preexisting political divide, erosion of trust in science and building quarantine fatigue compelled, and to some degree, hastened the reopening of society.
Human Services:
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.
Race for virus vaccine could leave some countries behind
AP
As the race intensifies for a vaccine against the new coronavirus, rich countries are rushing to place advance orders for the inevitably limited supply to guarantee their citizens get immunized first — leaving significant questions about whether developing countries will get any vaccines in time to save lives before the pandemic ends.
As States Reopen, Do They Have The Workforce They Need To Stop Coronavirus Outbreaks?
VPR
An NPR survey of state health departments shows that the national coronavirus contact tracing workforce has tripled in the past six weeks, from 11,142 workers to 37,110. Yet given their current case counts, only seven states and the District of Columbia are staffed to the level that public health researchers say is needed to contain outbreaks.
Insurers May Only Pay for Coronavirus Tests When They’re ‘Medically Necessary’
VPR
In the wake of the massive turnout at anti-racism demonstrations around the country, public health officials are encouraging protesters to get tested for the coronavirus. As purely precautionary testing has become more common, some insurance companies are arguing they can’t just pay for everyone who’s concerned about their risk to get tested. The Families First Coronavirus Response Act passed by Congress requires health plans to fully pay for testing deemed “medically necessary.” But as testing expands enough to allow people without symptoms to be tested, a gray area is beginning to appear.
Politicians Shunt Aside Public Health Officials
PEW
In 13 states, public health officials have resigned, retired or been fired.
Coronavirus Attacks the Lungs. A Federal Agency Just Halted Funding for New Lung Treatments.
New York Times
The shift, quietly disclosed on a government website, highlights how the Trump administration is favoring development of vaccines over treatments for the sickest patients.
IMMIGRATION
How DACA Has Transformed The Lives Of Dreamers — And Their Communities
VPR
After the Supreme Court’s 5-4 decision allowing the Deferred Action For Childhood Arrivals Program to remain in place, calling the Trump administration’s rescinding of the program “arbitrary and capricious”, it’s been a cause for celebration—if a cautious one— by advocates and the “Dreamers”. Since the program was announced in 2012, DACA has been a lifeline for immigrants who were brought to the U.S. as children.
Opinion: The ‘Dreamers’ are saved — but still vulnerable
Washington Post
It was a technical and splintered ruling, but — at least for now — a joyous one. The Supreme Court on Thursday preserved the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, better known as DACA. The more than 700,000 “dreamers” whom the program protects — men and women brought to the United States as children, who have done nothing wrong, who grew up as Americans and contribute to the only country they know as home — are safe from immediate deportation. This is good news for them, and good news for the country.
LAND USE/HOUSING
Land Use:
Campgrounds, lakes, reopen in Sierra National Forest near Fresno
Fresno Bee
Twenty-three campgrounds and a number of picnic sites and boat launches reopened in Sierra National Forest on Thursday, including popular recreation areas around Bass Lake and Huntington Lake above Fresno.
Noriega Hotel will reopen under new ownership, at new location
Bakersfield Californian
The Noriega Hotel stands as a pillar of Bakersfield’s culinary scene. The Elizalde family has owned and operated the Basque restaurant since 1931. But soon, that longstanding ownership will be changing hands.
Housing:
Residential home buying has been steady, but may not last
Business Journal
Looking back at the two months during shelter in place, the demand Realtor Don Scordino saw from homebuyers surprised him.
Black Californians’ housing crisis, by the numbers
CALmatters
Data show that the state’s housing crisis is worse for black communities, with decades of systemic racism having led to significant barriers to building and retaining wealth.
For California’s Homeless, CalFresh Is Essential Part of Safety Net
PPIC
CalFresh food assistance is a key support for people confronting homelessness, and efforts to expand access to CalFresh are critical.
PUBLIC FINANCES
CalPERS long term care insurance to see ‘significant premium increases,’ officials say
Fresno Bee
CalPERS has suspended enrollment in its long term care insurance plans and is preparing for a rate hike as the coronavirus takes a toll on the plans.
Raising Revenues. Urgent Spending. What’s Required for Leg Actions in Calif?
California Budget and Policy Center
With Governor Newsom and the Legislature still negotiating the 2020-21 state budget, it’s unclear to what extent cuts will disproportionately fall upon Black, Latinx, undocumented, and low-income Californians — even as they suffer the greatest job and income losses and face the highest health risks under COVID-19.
Opinion: Tax policy & the federal response to COVID-19
AEI
Although the federal government’s fiscal imbalance must be addressed, lawmakers should avoid raising taxes while the economy is still weak, as businesses and individuals may require additional economic relief.
TRANSPORTATION
Here are the rules for local buses, Amtrak & rideshare as Calif mandates masks
Fresno Bee
A state order requiring people to wear masks in public came as Regional Transit officials in Sacramento were planning to roll out their own mandate for passengers, following in the footsteps of rideshare companies and passenger railroad services.
2 Iconic Calif Trains Face Schedule Cuts as Pandemic Slows Long-Distance Travel
KQED
Amtrak’s Coast Starlight and California Zephyr, favorites for generations of railfans and others traveling up and down the West Coast and across the country, will be cut to three days a week from its current daily schedule starting Oct. 1.
Airline passengers refuse to wear masks, mayhem ensues
San Francisco Gate
Passenger tells seatmate to “Go back to China” in confrontation over masks
Global Data Reveals Inequality of Pandemic Travel
Bloomberg
A snapshot of global transportation data during six months of coronavirus reveaLA diverging paths for cities.
WATER
Under New Groundwater Plans, Report Estimates 12,000 Domestic Wells Could Run Dry
VPR
The goal of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, or SGMA, is to better regulate the state’s water reserves. But as the law rolls out, a new study predicts tens of thousands of people could lose their drinking water. Under current SGMA proposals, known as groundwater sustainability plans, the study estimates that as many as 12,000 domestic welLA could run dry by the year 2040.
“Xtra”
VFW burgers, corn dogs await at Stanislaus Co Fair food drive-up event in Turlock
Modesto Bee
Despite this year’s Stanislaus County Fair being canceled because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, you’ll still be able to get your fair food fix down in Turlock this summer.