POLICY & POLITICS
North SJ Valley:
Protesters and police clash after march ends in downtown Modesto
Modesto Bee
Protesters and local police department members clashed in downtown Modesto on Sunday, May 31, 2020 after a rally in honor of George Floyd, who was killed in Minnesota last week.
See Also:
● Modesto Mayor Ted Brandvold and Police Chief Galen Carroll react to Sunday’s protest Modesto Bee
Central SJ Valley:
‘They said a lot and I heard their words’ Fresno Police Chief Andy Hall reacts to protest
Fresno Bee
More than 3,000 people gathered in downtown Fresno on Sunday, May 31, 2020 for a protest over George Floyd’s death.
See Also:
● Fresno protest stays peaceful, attracting crowd of 3,000 in wake of George Floyd death Fresno Bee
● Police, Fresno State NAACP denounce rumor of attack on businesses Fresno Bee
● A Fresno Crowd Of 3,000 Protests Peacefully In Solidarity with George Floyd, Black Lives MatterVPR
Tulare County DA aware of Jeep incident at protest, waiting on police investigation
Fresno Bee
Two days after a Jeep struck two women during a protest in Visalia, the Tulare County District Attorney’s Office said it is waiting on a report from the Visalia Police Department before making any decision on the case.
See Also:
● Nine arrested on third night of local protests Bakersfield Californian
● Three Injured By Cars At Weekend Protests Against Police Violence In Bakersfield, Visalia VPR
● Protesters: Jeep’s driver, passengers should be arrested after George Floyd rally Visalia Times Delta
COVID-19 outbreak spreads in Avenal State Prison, over 300 more inmates test positive since Thursday
abc30
Kings County on Sunday reported 376 new cases of COVID-19, one of the largest jumps in the number of cases in any county in Central California. Health officials said most of those cases – 373 in total – were from state correctional facilities. The county also reported its fifth death since the outbreak began
Coronavirus updates: National parks set for phased reopening; Case surge in Kings County
Fresno Bee
The central San Joaquin Valley saw its largest one-day increase in reported coronavirus cases over the weekend. Nearly 400 new cases were reported on Sunday in Kings County, where an outbreak at Avenal State Prison has pushed the total number of cases in the county to triple digits.
South SJ Valley:
Kern County to consider distributing $20 million to cities for coronavirus relief
Bakersfield Californian
Kern County supervisors will consider a proposal allocating $20 million in federal funding to various cities throughout the county for novel coronavirus relief during a meeting at 9 a.m. on Tuesday. The funding is made possible through the $157.1 million federal aid Kern County received as part of the U.S. Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security Act, also known as the CARES Act.
Kern County officials worried about surge in COVID-19 cases
Bakersfield Californian
Kern County officials are worried about a novel coronavirus surge, as the number of reported cases over the last several days has increased.
Jacquie Sullivan, longest-serving City Council member, will not seek re-election
Bakersfield Californian
Bakersfield City Councilwoman Jacquie Sullivan announced she won’t seek reelection after 25 years of public service. Meanwhile, Councilman Bruce Freeman said in a news release he will seek reelection in November.
VIDEO: Mayor Karen Goh calls on Bakersfield to ‘come together’
Bakersfield Californian
Mayor Karen Goh has a message for the local community amidst protests both locally and beyond.
See also:
● Night four of protest in Bakersfield stays peaceful KBAK
State:
Gov. Newsom speaks about demonstrations across CA following death of George Floyd
abc30
Following days of protests throughout California over the death of George Floyd, Governor Gavin Newsom addressed the state from a church in Sacramento on Monday.
See Also:
● 500 National Guard troops deployed to Sacramento as George Floyd protests continue Sacramento Bee
● Sacramento to get curfew tonight. ‘We can’t continue to tolerate’ destruction Sacramento Bee
● Sacramento is imposing a historic curfew. When does it start, and who can go out? Sacramento Bee
● The last time Sacramento was under general curfew? Apparently never Sacramento Bee
● Live updates: No statewide curfew considered for California, Gov. Gavin Newsom says Sacramento Bee
● Newsom: ‘The Black Community Is Not Responsible For What Is Happening’ Capital Public Radio
● Newsom urges peace as George Floyd’s death ignites protests by day, violence by night Los Angeles Times
● Protest live updates: George Floyd died of asphyxia, family-ordered autopsy shows Los Angeles Times
● Newsom empathizes with protesters as Trump threatens military intervention CALmatters
● Gavin Newsom sidesteps Trump’s call for governors to ‘dominate’ George Floyd protesters San Francisco Chronicle
Cities are being destroyed. California clearly isn’t as enlightened about race as we think
Los Angeles Times
Correctional Health Services Director Jackie Clark said her staff has already tested more than 10,000 people in custody — some of whom have since been released — and now has about 1,600 inmates left to go. She expects the first full round of testing to be done by June 10.
See also:
● Axios-Ipsos poll: Massive gulf in public opinion based on race Axios
● Views of Police Treatment Vary Widely By Race/Ethnicity PPIC
● Fox: Will Protests and Riots Bring Change? Fox & Hounds
● What happens after George Floyd? California looks to reparations CalMatters
California state government offices to remain closed Tuesday following protests
Sacramento Bee
California state offices in Sacramento and other cities will remain closed Tuesday, according to a news release.
See also:
● State Offices Closed Due To George Floyd Protests Capital Public Radio
Nearly half of California counties approved for reopening failed to meet at least one standard
Visalia Times Delta
Two months after Gov. Gavin Newsom announced California would be the first state placed under a stay-at-home order lasting “many, many months,” he began rolling back restrictions in favor of reopening businesses.
● Half of Calif. counties OK’d for reopening failed to meet at least 1 standard Stockton Record
Houses Of Worship Respond To Protests, Reopening
Capital Public Radio
Faith leaders continue to cope with the impact of the COVID-19 crisis. California announced last week that houses of worship could reopen their doors, but the rollout has been slow, even more so given the protests from over the weekend in Sacramento and around the country.
Gavin Newsom’s nearly $1 billion mask deal: Company misses safety review deadline
San Francisco Chronicle
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s medical mask deal with a Chinese manufacturer could be canceled after the company failed to obtain a federal safety certification.
Federal:
President Trump calls governors ‘weak,’ urges crackdown on protests
abc30
President Donald Trump on Monday derided many governors as “weak” and demanded tougher crackdowns on burning and stealing among some demonstrations in the aftermath of violent protests in dozens of American cities.
See Also:
● Calling protests ‘acts of domestic terror,’ Trump orders additional help for cities to clamp down on riots Visalia Times Delta
● Trump Calls Governors Weak, Urging Them To ‘Dominate’ To Quell Violence VPR
● Trump warns of military deployment as protests resume Modesto Bee
● Trump declares he’s president of law, order amid protests. Modesto Bee
● Nationwide Response To Protests, President Trump’s Social Media Executive Order Capital Public Radio
● Trump calls for ‘law and order,’ threatens to deploy troops to major cities Los Angeles Times
● Trump threatens to end protests with military Politico
● Trump floats invoking 1807 Insurrection Act to ‘dominate’ protests Roll Call
● George Will: There is no such thing as rock bottom for Trump. Assume the worst is yet to come.Washington Post
● Explainer: Can Trump send the U.S. military to quell violence at protests? Reuters
● Listen to Trump’s call with governors in which he urged them to use force against unruly protestsWashington Post
● Opinion: Trump in trouble American Enterprise Institute – AEI
● Editorial: Don’t Call in the Troops Wall Street Journal
● Despite Curfews And Heavy Police Presence, Protests Persist Across The Country VPR
● Opinion: Martin Luther King Jr. Was Not Pro-Riot | National Review
● OPINION: Don’t let the message of George Floyd be co-opted. It’s about police brutalitySacramento Bee
As Trump blames ‘lamestream media,’ journalists arrested and injured during protests
Los Angeles Times
Friday’s arrest of CNN correspondent Omar Jimenez by Minnesota state police on live TV was just the beginning. Jimenez and his television crew were in Minneapolis reporting on the protests over the killing of George Floyd, the 46-year-old black man who died May 25 after a white police officer pinned him down at the neck until he stopped breathing.
Bishop ‘outraged’ after President Trump poses with Bible in front of St. John’s Church
KGET 17
After threatening to use the U.S. military in American cities to put down unrest over the death of George Floyd, President Trump posed for cameras holding a Bible in front of St. John’s Episcopal Church – a moment that left the Right Rev. Mariann Budde “outraged.”
See also:
● Archbishop Wilton Gregory Issues Statement on Planned Presidential Visit
● ‘He Did Not Pray’: Fallout Grows From Trump’s Photo-Op At St. John’s Church NPR
● Trump visits historic DC church after protesters cleared with tear gas TheHill
● Protesters Dispersed With Tear Gas As Trump Visits Church NPR
Blacks’ ‘lifetime of stress’ hits tipping point as coronavirus and protests converge, Ferrer says
Los Angeles Times
As protesters — both peaceful and violent — took to the streets across Los Angeles County over the weekend to decry the death in Minneapolis of George Floyd,
See also:
· From Jobs To Homeownership, Protests Put Spotlight On Racial Economic Divide VPR
House may return early to consider policing overhaul
Roll Call
House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer told reporters Tuesday the House could return to session earlier than June 30 to consider legislation to overhaul policing laws in response to the George Floyd killing and nationwide unrest about racial injustices.
See also:
● Lawmakers dust off old proposals on police overhauls Roll Call
Mass protests could undo hard-won progress in pandemic
Politico
Testing sites shut down as violence grips cities, risking spread of virus.
See also:
● Protesting Racism Versus Risking COVID-19: ‘I Wouldn’t Weigh These Crises Separately’ VPR
● Officials fear protests are ‘super-spreader’ events for coronavirus. Marchers say worth the riskLos Angeles Times
● Mass gatherings, erosion of trust upend coronavirus control Bakersfield Californian
● Protests may add COVID-19 cases and compound racial disparities Roll Call
China delayed releasing coronavirus info, frustrating WHO
AP
Throughout January, the World Health Organization publicly praised China for what it called a speedy response to the new coronavirus. It repeatedly thanked the Chinese government for sharing the genetic map of the virus “immediately,” and said its work and commitment to transparency were “very impressive, and beyond words.”
See also:
· CDC: First COVID-19 Cases In the U.S. Throughout January Time
Vague testing guidance hinders business reopenings
Politico
Companies can require diagnostic coronavirus tests and temperature checks but the Trump administration hasn’t said when or how often to test.
Fauci says his meetings with Trump have ‘dramatically decreased’
TheHill
Anthony Fauci, a member of the White House coronavirus task force who became one of the most visible faces of the federal response to the pandemic, said his meetings with President Trump have “dramatically decreased” in recent weeks.
This Treasury Official Is Running the Bailout. It’s Been Great for His Family.
Pro Publica
Deputy Treasury Secretary Justin Muzinich has an increasingly prominent role. He still has ties to his family’s investment firm, which is a major beneficiary of the Treasury’s bailout actions.
Census Bureau Says 60.5% of Households Responded to 2020 Count
Wall Street Journal
The agency reached its response goal despite the coronavirus.
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 Los Angeles 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:
Americans losing faith in elections as Trump discredits voting systems
Los Angeles Times
The diatribes are as unnerving and unrelenting as they are untrue: An incumbent president warning that the nation’s voting systems are cauldrons for fraud and ripe for rigging, seemingly setting the groundwork to discredit the results should he lose in November.
See also:
· Opinion. How Trump’s crusade against mail ballots is making his own defeat more likelyWashington Post
Trump’s response to the coronavirus disaster causes trouble for his campaign
Los Angeles Times
The danger of the coronavirus pandemic has become very real for LeAnn Davis. A major outbreak at a National Beef plant near this Iowa town of 2,100 has left one of her friends hospitalized. Davis is put off by President Trump’s refusal to wear a face mask and alarmed by his rush to reopen the economy.
Biden seeks to convey sense of leadership amid a national crisis
Los Angeles Times
Joe Biden didn’t scold or lecture or lay blame for the unrest gripping America’s cities on the mayors who run them. But in an event Monday, he did offer the nation a glimpse at what things might look like inside the White House were he in charge.
See Also:
● Joe Biden vows to address ‘institutional racism,’ meets with black leaders amid unrest Los Angeles Times
● Biden addresses nationwide Floyd protests, condemns Trump church photo op in Philadelphia speech ABC News
● Joe Biden to bluntly criticize the decision to clear peaceful protesters in Washington for a Trump photo op at a church Washington Post
● ‘I won’t fan the flames of hate’: Biden blasts Trump in Philly Politico
Trauma and gaffes crash Biden’s VP selection process
Politico
Real-life events — from the grave to the mundane — have recast his choice of potential running mates.
GOP group launches redistricting site
TheHill
The primary Republican organization responsible for coordinating the GOP’s redistricting strategy has launched a new web resource aimed at educating the public about the arcane decennial process.
OPINION: CA voters can help fix a bad situation for gig workers, Modesto man says
Modesto Bee
I’m semi-retired and usually drive rideshare part time. Like 80% of on-demand delivery and rideshare drivers, I did this to earn extra income so my wife and I can afford things our retirement savings wouldn’t otherwise provide.
Other:
Facebook employees revolt over Zuckerberg’s stance on Trump
Los Angeles Times
Mark Zuckerberg is facing a backlash from within Facebook after several senior employees publicly criticized the chief executive for refusing to take action over controversial posts by President Trump, and other staff members staging “virtual walkouts.”
See also:
· Editorial: The media can’t just ignore Trump’s outrageous tweets. Here’s why Los Angeles Times
· Opinion: Elected Office Is Not about Being a Celebrity National Review
ROBERT PRICE: How to explain the art of democracy to a teen (and the rest of us)
Bakersfield Californian
We interrupt this pandemic, and these street demonstrations, and this tragicomic political theater of the absurd, to bring you this announcement: Hope still has a pulse.
AGRICULTURE/FOOD
Business Journal
Asian American farmers in the Central Valley area are getting aid from the local community in the form of much-needed commerce.
Expanded USDA food box program begins operation
AgAlert
California-grown food has begun moving to people struggling with food insecurity in response to the COVID-19 pandemic through a new federal program, which also may benefit some farmers, ranchers and food distributors who lost business when restaurants and other food service outlets closed after stay-at-home protocols took effect.
Coronavirus Crop Destruction Recalls the Great Depression
Time
‘The Saddest, Bitterest Thing of All.’ From the Great Depression to Today, a Long History of Food Destruction in the Face of Hunger.
Cannabis in Long-Term Care: A Risk Management Assessment
American Bar Association
The trend in the United States is unmistakable: each year, a few more states legalize the use and possession of cannabis.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE/FIRE/PUBLIC SAFETY
Crime:
Body cam video released in lawsuit accusing Merced police officers of excessive force
Fresno Bee
The attorney for a man who has filed a federal civil suit accusing Merced police of excessive
force has released body camera footage of the altercation between his client and officers.
Tulare County DA aware of Jeep incident at protest, waiting on police investigation
Fresno Bee
Two days after a Jeep struck two women during a protest in Visalia, the Tulare County District Attorney’s Office said it is waiting on a report from the Visalia Police Department before making any decision on the case.
See Also:
● Nine arrested on third night of local protests Bakersfield Californian
● Three Injured By Cars At Weekend Protests Against Police Violence In Bakersfield, Visalia VPR
● Protesters: Jeep’s driver, passengers should be arrested after George Floyd rally Visalia Times Delta
Public Safety:
COVID-19 outbreak spreads in Avenal State Prison, over 300 more inmates test positive since Thursday
abc30
Kings County on Sunday reported 376 new cases of COVID-19, one of the largest jumps in the number of cases in any county in Central California. Health officials said most of those cases – 373 in total – were from state correctional facilities. The county also reported its fifth death since the outbreak began.
Calif wants to hire more cannabis cops to get a handle on black market marijuana
Sacramento Bee
California’s Bureau of Cannabis Control is looking to beef up its law enforcement presence.
First California prison officer dies after contracting coronavirus
Los Angeles Times
While the Riverside County coroner will need to determine the precise cause of death for Danny Mendoza, 53, he could be the first staff member of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to fall victim to COVID-19.
Attorney General Steps Up Federal Law Enforcement Response To Protests
VPR
Attorney General William Barr is sending specialized teams of federal agents to help control protests in Washington, D.C., and Miami, and the FBI is setting up command posts in cities across the country as demonstrations against George Floyd’s death move into a second week. The moves come as protesters continue to take to the streets in cities across the country in outrage and grief over Floyd’s May 25 death in Minneapolis while in police custody.
Private insurance companies can play a powerful role in reforming police practices
MarketPlace
If a city can’t get insurance for its police force, they can’t have a police force. Can insurance companies then be a driver of better policing?
Valley Voices: Fresno’s public safety system must protect and serve everyone, not just white people
Fresno Bee
Over the past few years, I’ve grown increasingly frustrated and pessimistic over the relative radio silence from my white friends and family in response to an ever-growing violence toward and dehumanization of black and brown Americans.
See also:
· Bad apples come from rotten trees in policing Brookings
· Editorial: Here’s how to hold police accountable: Don’t let their unions give money to prosecutorsLos Angeles Times
· Opinion: How Much of a Role Does Race Play in Police Killings? National Review
Fire:
Wildfire forces mandatory evacuation order near Hensley Lake in Madera County, structures threatened
abc30
A wildfire is burning and structures are threatened near Hensley Lake in Madera County. According to the Cal Fire Madera command center, the blaze has burned 120 acres and is spreading at a moderate speed. Structures are threatened.
Tuolumne has $17 million loan fund to turn wildfire fuel into products and jobs
Modesto Bee
The federal government has $17 million to lend to Tuolumne County ventures that convert wildfire fuel into wood products or energy. The program aims to create jobs while helping to restore forest health in this part of the Sierra Nevada.
ECONOMY/JOBS
Economy:
PPP pitfalls: Businesses, nonprofits alike navigate stormy seas of federal loans
Business Journal
In May, the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), meant to help employers get people back to work, surpassed $510 billion in lending.
An exercise in patience: Health clubs looking, fitness centers forward to their turn to reopen
Stockton Record
California fitness industry leaders took part in a round-table discussion Wednesday with Gov. Gavin Newsom and his team as the state continues to reopen the economy in phases. Health clubs have been closed since March when stay-at-home orders were issued in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
Climbing out from coronavirus: Northern California county sags under weight of economic crash
Los Angeles Times
In the old mining towns that helped birth this state, the bonanzas could be counted on every summer in recent years — not in the extraction of ore, but in tourism, festivals and destination weddings. Now businesses are hoping just to survive the summer, even as the novel coronavirus itself has left the region largely unscathed.
Black businesses hit hard by COVID-19 fight to stay afloat
AP
COVID-19 has disproportionately impacted black Americans, infecting and killing them at higher rates across the nation. But experts say the pandemic has also exacerbated existing economic disparities and raised fresh concerns about the survival of black businesses, many of which have been the backbone of cities like Detroit and Atlanta for years.
Economic impacts of mobile broadband innovation
AEI
This study projects the benefits of 5G adoption under different counterfactual scenarios.
Jobs:
Lost your job during coronavirus pandemic? Here are some new ones to try
Fresno Bee
Looking for a job? Try pharmacies or fast-food restaurants. They have the most private coronavirus-related job openings in the state, according to a survey by Zippia, a Millbrae-based firm that helps people find jobs and careers. It surveyed employment listings throughout the country, seeking jobs created largely because of the coronavirus outbreak.
See Also:
● Help Wanted: Job opportunities in the Central Valley abc30
● Need a job? California’s unemployment agency has 1,800 of them. You can start right awayModesto Bee
‘Women especially are going to pay the price.’ Parents going back to work face child care crisis.
Stockton Record
A single father in New Jersey is taking unpaid leave from his job as a baker because he has no one to look after his son. A university employee in New York realizes she may never return to the office after her autistic daughter’s child care center closed for good. A new mother in Utah uses vacation time to take two hours off from work each day.
EDUCATION
K-12:
State Superintendent Tony Thurmond speaks on racism in California schools
abc30
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond held a virtual press conference Monday morning on the topics of race, the death of George Floyd and inequities in the California school system.
See Also:
● California schools chief calls for new plan on racism, bias Bakersfield Californian
● Emotional schools chief Tony Thurmond vows to address racism in public education EdSource
● After George Floyd’s death, California schools chief vows to address bias Los Angeles Times
School leaders weigh in on how return to campuses will look for Modesto-area students
Modesto Bee
Friday was the last day of Modesto City Schools’ 2019-20 academic calendar, which has ended with something never before seen in the district’s nearly 150-year history: Campuses closed, academic competitions canceled, sports seasons cut short before some even began.
Prepping to reopen, California schools desperate for guidance, money
CALmatters
School districts plan for fall without knowing how much money they’ll have or exactly how to create the safest learning environment for students.
See also:
● When Calif reopens schools, steep drop in vaccinations could endanger children CALmatters
Governor suspends Calif teacher testing requirements for candidates impacted by coronavirus closures
EdSource
Gov. Gavin Newsom has suspended state testing requirements for teacher candidates impacted by the coronavirus pandemic in an executive order issued Saturday morning.
Mathews: Why California’s Students Should Go on Strike During COVID
Zocalo Public Square
As COVID Collapses Budgets, It’s Up to Children to Save Their Schools.
How States Support Intensive Special Education Services
EdNote
Both states and the federal government recognize that the additional services required to adequately support the learning of special education students come at an additional cost.
OPINION: COVID-19’s impact on schools shows Calif’s need to connect students to internet
Sacramento Bee
Even in the best of times, launching a statewide online learning program would be a monumental task, akin to landing on the moon. Trying to do this in the middle of a pandemic has resulted in outcomes that are, putting it mildly, uneven and unequal – leaving hundreds of thousands of students without access to the public education they need to realize their potential.
Higher Ed:
Fresno State athletics could lose $4 million in funding. What will that mean for Bulldogs?
Fresno Bee
Fresno State athletics receives a large chunk of its funding from student fees and institutional support – last year, $20.9 million of its $49.8 million in revenue. But that could be cut by $3 million or more in 2020-21 due to a sharp decline in university revenues related to the coronavirus pandemic, according to university sources.
Why affirmative action is necessary – from Harvard to California
CALmatters
I spent my final years at Harvard studying hard and working hard to fight for race conscious admissions policies there. After graduating last year, I returned home to California as another conversation about affirmative action was emerging with Assembly Constitutional Amendment 5.
Online college classes are here to stay. What does that mean for higher education?
Brookings
The coronavirus has pushed most academic institutions online and the changes will permanently alter higher education. John Villasenor outlines the two major methods of online learning that will likely occur in the fall, difficulties with both categories, and how universities may approach tuition moving forward.
College Students Want Their Money Back. It’ll Be Tough to Get It.
PEW
Students filed more than 100 lawsuits seeking compensation for closures.
ENVIRONMENT/ENERGY
Environment:
What should you do if you find a baby animal alone? Don’t try kidnapping, experts say
Fresno Bee
Don’t kidnap young animals, a state’s fish and wildlife department reminds everyone. Newborn fawns, elk calves and other young wildlife will soon start appearing outdoors — and occasionally in some people’s backyards, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife said in a news release. But you shouldn’t assume the animal needs your help.
Washington Post
The Environmental Protection Agency finalized a rule Monday curtailing the rights of states, tribes and the public to object to federal permits for energy projects, including hydroelectric dams and coal export terminals, affecting waterways across the country.
Energy:
New comprehensive study on solar capacity in major U.S. cities
Environment California
Fifty top American cities have each more than doubled their total installed solar PV capacity since 2013, a new study released today by Environment California Research & Policy Center found. The report, Shining Cities 2020: The Top U.S. Cities for Solar Energy, is the seventh annual edition of the most comprehensive survey of installed solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity in major U.S. cities.
HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES
Health:
Latino homes report serious COVID-19 symptoms nearly twice as often, survey of 1.6 million shows
Stockton Record
In Wake Forest, North Carolina, a town of about 40,000 near Raleigh, a sweeping national survey of COVID-19 symptoms has exposed a staggering ethnic divide. Nearly two-thirds of Wake Forest’s Hispanic homes surveyed reported suffering the combination of symptoms most closely tied to the coronavirus, compared to less than 1% of everyone else.
Dozens of new COVID-19 cases announced Monday
Bakersfield Californian
Kern County public health officials announced 72 new cases of COVID-19 Monday, bringing total cases to 2,332. A total of 28,628 tests have been done in Kern. Of those 25,382 have come back negative and the results of 914 are pending. Total deaths stands at 38.
See Also:
● Modesto nursing home has coronavirus outbreak. The same company owns Turlock center.Modesto Bee
● Coronavirus: Positive cases, deaths increase in Stanislaus County Modesto Bee
● Nursing Homes, Coronavirus and Medicaid Wall Street Journal
● Fresh Data Shows Heavy Coronavirus Death Toll in Nursing Homes Wall Street Journal
● At least 26,000 U.S. nursing home deaths have been attributed to covid-19, the first national tally of such deaths shows Washington Post
Having high blood pressure may make coronavirus more dangerous
ABC News
High blood pressure may mean higher risk of hospitalization or severe illness.
Scientists to choirs: Group singing can spread the coronavirus, despite what CDC may say
Los Angeles Times
Scientists studying tiny exhaled particles that could transmit the coronavirus say a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention decision to drop warnings against choral singing is dangerous, risking more “super-spreading events” such as a Washington state choir practice linked to two deaths.
Bayer Fights Jury Loss in Bid to Minimize Roundup Payouts
Bloomberg
If Bayer AG wants to keep total Roundup liability capped at $10 billion, it may be crucial to get a 2018 California court verdict overturned.
Human Services:
Coronavirus testing sites close down in some cities hit by protests, violence
Sacramento Bee
Community coronavirus testing sites are closing in several states as a precaution as protests and unrest spread over the death of George Floyd in police custody. Among the closures are sites in Illinois, California and Florida, according to reports.
Coronavirus: Cases in California surpass 111,000 amid protests
San Jose Mercury
As mass protests and looting in cities throughout California gripped much of the public’s attention Sunday, the death toll from COVID-19 and the number of people infected with the virus continued to rise.
California seeks more power to fight healthcare mergers
Los Angeles Times
Across California, independent physician practices, outpatient clinics and hospitals are merging or getting gobbled up by private equity firms or large healthcare systems.
How To Get Sleep In Uneasy Times
VPR
Having trouble getting to sleep these days? You’re not alone. For people with a history of insomnia, sleep problems are magnified right now. And many who never struggled before are suddenly experiencing interruptions in their nightly rest or difficulty falling asleep. It’s pretty typical that in moments of anxiety, sleep suffers, but the situation we’re all living through today means the anxiety never stops, says neurologist and sleep specialist Dr. Douglas Kirsch, past president of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.
Finding Connection And Comfort In Livestream Concerts During Quarantine
VPR
Even in the best of times, many look to live music as a crucial resource — a place to turn for comfort, community and relief from anxiety — and can scarcely imagine their lives without it.
IMMIGRATION
Thousands of immigrants are stuck in ICE centers. Getting out depends on the judge
Los Angeles Times
Belkin Peralta watched longingly May 8 as 16 women in her dormitory at the Mesa Verde ICE Processing Center in Bakersfield changed out of their blue uniforms and emerged in their street clothes. Without notice or explanation, they all had been told they were free to go.
Human Rights at Risk: The Immigration Courts Are in Need of an Overhaul
American Bar Association
Immigration Judge Mimi Tsankov shares firsthand how judicial independence is being encroached upon in immigration courts.
LAND USE/HOUSING
Land Use:
Sequoia & Kings Canyon are latest California national parks to start reopening
Los Angeles Times
Giant sequoia groves and the backcountry will reopen Thursday at Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks in the western Sierra. It’s the latest national parks in California to begin welcoming visitors with new safety rules during the coronavirus pandemic.
See also:
● Coronavirus updates: National parks set for phased reopening; Case surge in Kings County Fresno Bee
Housing:
Millions of Californians could lose affordable housing in recession, advocates warn
Fresno Bee
With rent due for another new month in the coronavirus outbreak, affordable housing advocates warn that the new recession could trigger a domino effect wiping out protections for millions of lower-income California tenants.
See also:
· One-third of California renters unsure if they can make June payment, census survey showsFresno Bee
· ‘It’s Like A Nightmare’: Options Dwindle For Renters Facing Economic Distress VPR
The best way to get more affordable rentals built
CALmatters
I had a career in developing affordable housing, neighborhood preservation and code enforcement in several Southern California cities. One of the biggest challenges we faced was poor property management of duplex and fourplex rentals owned by mom-and-pop landlords.
PUBLIC FINANCES
Newsom’s budget cuts would hit Californians most vulnerable to coronavirus
Los Angeles Times
California Gov. Gavin Newsom has proposed sweeping budget cuts to safety-net healthcare programs ― including Medi-Cal, California’s Medicaid program for low-income people ― just as enrollment is projected to spike because of record job losses related to the pandemic.
California Budget and Policy Center
Taxes · Economics, Health & COVID-19 · May 2020 · By Jonathan Kaplan
The share of California corporate income paid in state taxes declined by more than half during the past three decades.
While Some Still Await Their Stimulus Check, Others Return Payments They Shouldn’t Have Received
Newsweek
As some citizens are left waiting for the financial boost of a stimulus payment amid the COVID-19 crisis, others face the issue of having to return money they should not have received.
TRANSPORTATION
‘Who approved this?’ Riders, officials criticize Metro’s systemwide shutdown
Los Angeles Times
As protests swept Los Angeles County on Saturday night, and officials in multiple cities imposed curfews, an unprecedented shutdown of the region’s bus and rail network left essential workers stranded on sidewalks and in bus shelters.
Airlines say it’s safe to travel. But is it?
New York Times
Airlines and airports around the world are doing everything they can to instill confidence that it is safe to fly again, despite the coronavirus pandemic.
WATER
States lose some Clean Water Act authority under new EPA rule
Sacramento Bee
States have less say in issuing Clean Water Act permits under an EPA rule finalized Monday as the Trump administration and conservative lawmakers seek to speed energy projects. The rule limits the scope of environmental reviews that states conduct before issuing permits for projects such as pipelines and hydropower plants.
How lockdown converted the world to cycling, and the speedbumps that lie ahead
The Economist
Cycling ticks lots of good policy boxes, but cars aren’t over yet.
“Xtra”
California Mid-State Fair canceled due to coronavirus concerns
Fresno Bee
The 2020 California Mid-State Fair has been canceled due to the coronavirus outbreak. The 16th District Agricultural Association Board — which governs the Paso Robles fair — voted unanimously Thursday to cancel the event.