Maddy Institute – June 24, 2020

24Jun

POLICY & POLITICS

North SJ Valley:

Stanislaus County is now one of coronavirus ‘hot spots’ in Calif, officials say

Modesto Bee

Stanislaus County’s top officials have come to the conclusion the county is one of the hot spots for coronavirus infections in California. If the trend is not turned around, it could lead to closure of businesses and activities that recently reopened, the county’s leading health official said.

Dad and two kids thrown out of Walmart in Turlock after defying mask rules

LA Times

After a father refused the store manager’s request that his two children wear face coverings while inside the retailer, the Turlock, Calif., police escorted the family outside.

Central SJ Valley:

Ag businesses see $2 billion in losses so far; A return to lockdown?

Fresno Bee

More than 10,000 people have been infected with the coronavirus in the central San Joaquin Valley since the pandemic began — and the numbers continue to surge.

Could ‘real repercussions’ of COVID-19 trigger a rollback of Fresno businesses reopening?

Fresno Bee

A continuing rise in coronavirus hospitalizations and deaths in Fresno County has the potential to trigger a reversal of businesses reopening if the epidemic’s trend continues.

Warszawski: Fresno Co sheriff won’t enforce Newsom’s mask rule, but has a duty to stop COVID-19

Fresno Bee

California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s statewide mask order will not be imposed on Fresno County residents. Fresno County Sheriff Margaret Mims made that clear last week in an emailed statement to The Bee, writing her agency lacks “the resources to direct toward this type of enforcement.”

· ‘A moral failure’: Calif not tracking jail inmates and staff infected with coronavirus Fresno Bee

· Fox: Unmasking an Opportunity and a Reckoning Fox & Hounds

$15 million grant will address racial equity, poverty in communities of color in Fresno

Fresno Bee

A 10-year community-driven initiative to sustain and support an inclusive economy in the Fresno region was given a boost courtesy of a $15 million grant from the James Irvine Foundation.

Central school official in Fresno resigns after making ‘insensitive’ comments

Fresno Bee

Central Unified School District Trustee Richard Atkins resigned on Tuesday night during the school board meeting, just days after making comments on social media critics described as “racist,” “disgusting,” and “xenophobic.”

South SJ Valley:

Businesses slow to adopt coronavirus expansion measures

Bakersfield Californian

Only a handful of restaurants and retail outlets have tried to take advantage of a special permit allowing business operations to expand into the parking lots, sidewalks and even the streets in some instances.

Activists call for Bakersfield to defund police ahead of budget meeting

KBAK

The budget proposal includes an amount of $120,146,066 the Bakersfield Police Department has been proposed, but a coalition of activists is asking city leaders to reconsider. People’s Budget Bako is asking the city to stop funding its police force altogether.

City Attorney: Ward 1 special election can take place

Bakersfield Californian

A special election to replace outgoing Bakersfield City Councilman Willie Rivera can take place as planned, the City Attorney has determined. Rivera, who was most recently elected in 2018, submitted his letter of resignation to city officials in May, saying he intended to step down after an election to choose his successor had been held.

State:

Newsom gets power to withhold funds for counties that don’t follow COVID-19 rules

Fresno Bee

California counties must comply with state and federal COVID-19 rules if they want part of up to $1 billion in funding through the state budget, according to details of a budget deal expected to win approval in the Legislature.

Winners & losers: How Calif’s budget deal might affect you

Fresno Bee

More than a decade of economic growth has crashed to a halt, leaving the state of California short by tens of billions of dollars. In response, Democratic lawmakers and Gov. Gavin Newsom are scaling back programs and finding new ways to bring in money.

● Here’s what could be restored to the California budget if the feds send aid Sac Bee

● Gov. Newsom’s fourth budget is unbalanced, depends heavily on federal funds Sac Bee

● Budget deal shields neediest Californians, shifts burden to middle class CalMatters

● Walters: Budget No. 4 won’t be the last CalMatters

● Mathews: Why Sac fails California — and itself Orange County Register

Calif Surgeon General: Systemic Racism Is Linked To COVID-19 Pandemic

VPR
A new California rule requires everyone to wear face masks in public as more businesses and public spaces reopen in the state this week. California Surgeon General Dr. Nadine Burke Harris says public health officials are considering how to boost economic activity in the safest way possible.

Counties Urge Residents To Stop Private Social Gatherings As Calif COVID-19 Hospitalizations Rise

Capital Public Radio

Public health workers say the reopening of businesses in many California counties gave residents the idea it was safe to host parties, which has driven much of the recent uptick in COVID-19 cases.

Sac leaders hand Congress $11 billion construction wish list. Here’s what’s on it

Sac Bee

Glimpsing a silver lining in the coronavirus cloud, Sac leaders on Monday handed their Congressional representatives an $11 billion list of ready-to-build infrastructure projects for potential federal funding that would help modernize the region and add thousands of jobs for residents hit by the coronavirus pandemic.

California lawmakers shelve effort this year to legalize sports betting

LA Times

Two years after the U.S. Supreme Court opened the door for states to allow sports betting, political squabbles between rival gambling interests have left California stalemated on the issue, with the latest effort fizzling this week in the state Legislature.

Record high of new coronavirus cases reported in California: More than 6,000 in a day

LA Times

California shattered a daily record for new coronavirus cases with more than 6,000 infections reported Monday — the largest single-day count in the state since the pandemic hit the U.S.

Opinion: Why Calif’s spirit of community-led innovation will be key to our recovery

CalMatters

When Gov. Gavin Newsom appointed me the first ever senior advisor on Social Innovation for the state of California one year ago, it was clear that my job wasn’t about bringing partners to the same old table in Sac. It was about building a new table entirely, one with room for all Californians.

Federal:

Prosecutor to tell Congress of pressure from ‘highest levels’ of Justice Dept. to cut Roger Stone ‘a break’

Washington Post

A federal prosecutor and another Justice Department official plan to tell Congress on Wednesday that Attorney General William P. Barr and his top deputies issued inappropriate orders amid investigations and trials “based on political considerations” and a desire to cater to President Trump.

Trump voices support for a second stimulus check payment as part of next coronavirus aid package

abc30

President Donald Trump on Monday voiced support for a second round of stimulus payments for eligible Americans as part of the next coronavirus aid package. “We will be doing another stimulus package. It will be very good. It will be very generous,” the president said in an interview with Scripps.

● Opinion: Economic Stimulus: How Many More Trillions Must We Pump into This Economy? National Review

Trump Admin has considered ending coronavirus emergency, even as cases surge

LA Times

The Trump administration, eager to claim victory over the coronavirus, has been considering scaling back the national emergency declared earlier this year to control the pandemic, according to healthcare industry officials who have spoken with the administration.

● ‘We’ve done too good of a job,’ Trump says when asked about slowing COVID-19 testing Fresno Bee

Twitter labels another Trump tweet for violating its policies

UPI

Trump threatened via Twitter Tuesday to use “serious force” against protesters who may try to establish an autonomous zone in Washington, D.C.

● Opinion: Twitter vs. Trump – Opposing Government Itself National Review

Coronavirus vaccine could be ready before 2021, a ‘cautiously optimistic’ Fauci says

Fresno Bee

Feeling “cautiously optimistic,” Dr. Anthony Fauci told Congress Tuesday that a COVID-19 vaccine could be available to the American public by the end of the year, or early 2021.

● Coronavirus has brought US ‘to its knees’, says CDC director The Guardian

● Fauci Says Health Officials Haven’t Been Told to Slow Coronavirus Testing Wall Street Journal

● Fauci: US seeing ‘disturbing’ new surge of infections The Hill

● Podcast: Coronavirus Special Report: Dr. Fauci goes to Washington Roll Call

US has 28,000 coronavirus contact tracers, CDC says. It needs 72,000 more

Fresno Bee

CDC Director Robert Redfield told members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee that the number of contact tracers in the U.S. increased from 6,000 to 28,000 between January and June. However, Redfield says the goal is still to get to 100,000.

Census Bureau riles Democrats with pair of new political appointees

Roll Call

The Trump administration added two political appointees to the Census Bureau in newly created positions Tuesday, increasing concerns among census experts and Democrats that the largely apolitical data agency may be tipping to Republican advantage.

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.

● Coronavirus (COVID-19) CDC

● Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) Pandemic – WHO

● John Hopkins University & Medicine John Hopkins University

● Tracking coronavirus in California LA Times

● Coronavirus Tracker SF Chronicle

● Coronavirus in the U.S.: Latest Map and Case Count New York Times

● How many coronavirus cases have been reported in each U.S. state? Politico

● Coronavirus Daily NPR

● Coronavirus tracked: the latest figures as the pandemic spreads Financial Times

● Coronavirus in California by the numbers CalMatters

Elections 2020:

Obama raises $7.6 million for Joe Biden’s campaign

Modesto Bee

Former President Barack Obama warned Democrats against being “complacent or smug” about the presidential race at a grassroots fundraiser for presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden Tuesday, calling on viewers to learn the lessons from 2016 and not take the election for granted.

● Biden Takes Dominant Lead as Voters Reject Trump on Virus & Race NY Times

● Opinion: Prepare for a Biden landslide National Journal

GOP pouring money into a Calif Democratic House seat to try to flip it

SF Chronicle

GOP leaders plan to put nearly $3 million into the effort to unseat Fresno Democratic Rep. TJ Cox in what promises to be one of the most visible political battles in the state, if not the country.

Trump Delivers Fiery Speech in Arizona, an Emerging Election Battleground

Wall Street Journal

President Trump delivered a fiery speech to a full house Tuesday, raising fears about voter fraud and denouncing protesters for trying to topple statutes as he sought a boost in a state that has trended more Democratic and as he faces concerns about his standing in other states that drove his 2016 victory.

Rep. Karen Bass moves onto Biden’s vice presidential list

LA Times

Rep. Karen Bass is undergoing vetting to be former Vice President Joe Biden’s running mate, according to a person familiar with the process. Bass, 66, who has represented LA in the House for five terms, joins a slate of prominent women of color who are in the mix to stand with Biden on the Democratic ticket.

How Kamala Harris seized the moment on race and police reform

Politico

The shift didn’t occur by accident: Harris spent the campaign and months since working to burnish her image on criminal justice issues and contending that her decades in the field, which were viewed as a liability, instead provides her with unmatched perspective into how to achieve systemic change.

● EDITORIAL: Blocking Police Reform Wall Street Journal

Progressive Wing Has Strong Night in Democratic Primaries

Wall Street Journal

Progressive candidates made a strong showing in Democratic primaries Tuesday, as states faced some complaints from voters but nothing approaching the kind of logistical problems seen on recent voting days in states such as Georgia and Wisconsin.

Does voting by mail lead to higher turnout in red, blue and purple states? It’s not that simple

PolitiFact

In the 2018 primaries, turnout in vote at home states outperformed states with traditional poll-based voting by 15.5 percentage points.

● What is ballot harvesting, and why is Trump tweeting about it during an election-year pandemic? PolitiFact

Other:

Creditors seek to bring claims against McClatchy leadership in bankruptcy case

Modesto Bee

McClatchy Co.’s least-protected creditors have filed a motion that seeks to expose the company’s board, its CEO and chief counsel and some former senior leaders to civil claims, adding a new complication just days before a scheduled auction of the bankrupt local news company.

The dangers of tech-driven solutions to COVID-19

Brookings

Contact tracing done wrong threatens privacy and invites mission creep into adjacent fields, including policing. Automated policing and content control raise the prospect of a slide into authoritarianism.

What Facebook’s digital currency could mean for financial inclusion

Brookings

When Facebook announced Libra—a global digital currency—almost a year ago, there was widespread skepticism about Mark Zuckerberg’s motives. In response, the company significantly modified its original proposal.

AGRICULTURE/FOOD

Study estimates $8.6B direct impact to ag from coronavirus

Business Journal

The coronavirus pandemic will mean losses of $5.9 billion to $8.6 billion for California farms, ranches and agricultural businesses, according to a new economic study. The state’s agricultural sector has already suffered $2 billion in losses so far from disrupted markets and rising production costs related to Covid-19.

· Wasco nut facility reports 31 workers have contracted virus Bakersfield Californian

· Wool Growers closes temporarily due to employee testing positive for COVID-19 Bakersfield Californian

World Ag Expo presents Valley Children’s Healthcare with $90,100 through Toyota Tundra Giveaway

Hanford Sentinel

The International Agri-Center, World Ag Expo and the Central Valley Toyota Dealers presented a check in the amount of $90,100 to the Guilds of Valley Children’s Healthcare on May 14 in Madera.

Marijuana’s racist history shows the need for comprehensive drug reform

Brookings

Despite cannabis usage rates between whites and non-whites being similar, Black Americans are arrested for cannabis offenses at a rate of nearly 4:1, compared to whites.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE/FIRE/PUBLIC SAFETY

Crime:

Madera Co DA investigating ex-CPS employee who allegedly discarded abuse reports

Fresno Bee

Madera County prosecutors are reviewing a case against a former social worker accused of discarding hundreds of child abuse reports in 2019, District Attorney Sally Moreno has confirmed.

Courts and lawyers struggle with growing prevalence of deepfakes

ABA Journal

As the technology grows in complexity, making it more difficult to spot fakes, attorneys and judges will have to decide how to manage deepfake evidence and authenticate it, says Riana Pfefferkorn. She warns that deepfakes could erode trust in the justice system.

Fractured Skulls, Lost Eyes: Police Often Break Own Rules Using ‘Rubber Bullets’

Kaiser Health News

“On day one of training, they tell you, ‘Don’t shoot anywhere near the head or neck,’” said Charlie Mesloh, a certified instructor on the use of police projectiles and a professor at Northern Michigan University. “That’s considered deadly force.”

COVID-19 Lawsuit Against La Jolla Facility Could Signal More Fights to Come

Voice of San Diego

The lawsuit, among the earliest of its kind in California and the first to be reported on in San Diego, accuses The Springs at Pacific Regent and its owner of negligence in responding to the novel coronavirus.

Public Safety:

Warszawski: Fresno Co sheriff won’t enforce Newsom’s mask rule, but has a duty to stop COVID-19

Fresno Bee

· More coronavirus infections at Fresno Co Jail as correctional officers test positive Fresno Bee

· ‘A moral failure’: Calif not tracking jail inmates and staff infected with coronavirus Fresno Bee

Black Lives Matter protests have not led to spike in coronavirus cases: report

The Hill

Following weeks of speculation as to whether or not Black Lives Matter protests across states would lead to an uptick in coronavirus infections, a study using data from the country’s largest cities found “no evidence” that the demonstrations caused a spike in the number of new COVID-19 cases.

Prop 47’s Impact on Racial Disparity in Criminal Justice Outcomes

Public Policy Institute of California

In recent years, California has implemented a number of significant reforms that were not motivated by racial disparities but might have narrowed them in a number of ways.

Poll: Black Americans outraged by George Floyd’s death, but optimistic about change after nationwide protests

Washington Post

While a majority of Americans across all racial groups report feeling sad, angry and troubled by Floyd’s killing, black people perceive the country’s police forces as far more racially biased than white people do, the poll finds.

See also:

● Opinion: No, Police Racism Isn’t an Epidemic Wall Street Journal

Fire:

Firefighters warn Valley residents about dangers of illegal fireworks

abc30

Firefighters are already dealing with an increase in calls regarding illegal fireworks weeks before the Fourth of July holiday. “Just over the course of last week, we are seeing an uptick in illegal fireworks currently throughout the county,” says Tulare County Fire Department Captain Joanne Bear.

See also

· Tulare Co Fire Dept provides fireworks guidelines Porterville Recorder

ECONOMY/JOBS

Economy:

Aera CEO announces retirement

Bakersfield Californian

Christina Sistrunk, the former international oil executive who has led one of Bakersfield’s largest petroleum producers during a rough five years for the industry, announced Tuesday she will retire from Aera Energy LLC at the end of September.

Restaurants lead local beneficiaries of Kern Co recovery program

Bakersfield Californian

Independently owned local restaurants have been the primary beneficiaries of Kern’s pandemic recovery program, followed by insurance agencies, bars and real estate offices, as the county prepares to distribute the remaining three-fifths of a fund lenders say has already helped the area’s economy.

What Economists Fear Most During This Recovery

FiveThirtyEight

In fact, economists think there are still significant economic risks despite the tentative rebound, including a second wave of COVID-19, an unwillingness to spend from consumers and an absence of an additional fiscal stimulus from Congress.

Jobs:

Help Wanted: Job opportunities in the Central Valley

abc30

If you are an employer and you would like us to add your job to the page (or if a job has been filled and needs to be removed), simply fill out the form on the bottom of the page.

EDUCATION

K-12:

Masks on buses, fewer kids in class, no rallies. Modesto board gets schools update

Modesto Bee

Modesto City Schools staff sketched for board members Monday evening how the school year might look when it begins in August. But given how quickly the COVID-19 landscape still is changing, the picture they drew is more likely the equivalent of a single frame in an animated short.

Unequally disconnected: Access to online learning in the US

Brookings

Many education researchers have raised the concern that 2020 school closures have created a situation where the most disadvantaged children are most likely to lose out on the opportunity to keep learning.

The calm before the storm in local education politics

Brookings

Pre-COVID-19 politics have continued. Unions have worked to make sure that remote learning happens on teachers’ terms while making sure any deviations from labor contracts are not permanent.

There’s a new lesson in California preschools — no sharing

EdSource

Walk into a California preschool during the coronavirus pandemic, and you might see children playing alone inside their own hula hoop. Gone are family-style meals and snacks where children serve themselves. And no more sharing toys.

Higher Ed:

Racist cyberattack email sent to thousands of UC Davis email accounts

Sac Bee

A racist cyberattack email was delivered to thousands of University of California, Davis, email accounts Sunday, prompting the university to block most of the emails, officials said Tuesday.

Colleges Spend Millions to Prepare to Reopen Amid Coronavirus

Wall Street Journal

Costs for protective gear, cleaning supplies and labor for employees to take students’ temperatures and conduct hourly wipe-downs of doorknobs are already running into the millions of dollars.

ENVIRONMENT/ENERGY

Environment:

California re-evaluating its landmark climate strategy

CalMatters

CalEPA Secretary Jared Blumenfeld laid out plans for re-examining whether the program is likely to meet its goals for reducing greenhouse gases. It signals a shift in the administration’s attitude and reflects problems posed by the pandemic-caused recession.

Nevada set to adopt California tailpipe standards

Energy News Network

Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak announces that the state plans to adopt California’s car pollution rules.

Opinion: The EPA’s emissions rollbacks will be devastating for Americans’ health

The Hill

The COVID-19 pandemic has taught us two key lessons. First, that things we cannot see can hurt us. And second, that preparedness and medical science are essential to protecting us against invisible threats to health.

Energy:

Southern Calif Gas Co Exceeds Energy Savings Goals for Medium Consumption Customers With AI Solution From Bidgely

Business Wire

Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas®) has successfully delivered energy savings and increased their digital engagement with customers through an artificial intelligence (AI) solution for gas customers from Bidgely.

HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES

Health:

Coronavirus update: Central San Joaquin Valley tops 10,000 cases; Tulare County adds 257

Fresno Bee

President Donald Trump on Monday again suggested that the United States was doing too much testing for COVID-19. This as new research says the number of cases in March may have been 80 times greater than original estimates.

● Coronavirus update: Huge increase in cases in Tulare County Porterville Recorder

● Kern County reports 84 new coronavirus cases Tuesday, hospitalizations hit new high Bakersfield Californian

● Merced County active coronavirus cases rise above 300, latest death reported Merced Sun-Star

● Stanislaus deaths reach 37; outbreak at care center Modesto Bee

● Arvin, Lamont, southeast Bakersfield bear the brunt of COVID-19 cases Bakersfield Californian

● Seven states report highest coronavirus hospitalizations since pandemic began Washington Post

● Coronavirus Cases Surge in U.S. Wall Street Journal

Common sense health: What needs to change for society’s health?

Bakersfield Californian

If you want to understand why Blacks are dying at twice the rate of Whites from COVID-19, or why women receive different treatment than men, then you need to take a hard look at society, not just the bias of doctors and the failures of access to the healthcare system.

How to prevent heat stroke. Here’s some tips from an ER doctor

Sac Bee

Arthur Jey, M.D., an emergency room doctor at Sutter Medical Center, gives tips on Monday, June 22, 2020, on how avoid heat stroke. Jey suggests staying hydrated, knowing the signs of heat exhaustion and alerting others if you’re not feeing well.

How COVID-19 Affects Children Mentally, Physically

Capital Public Radio

The coronavirus pandemic continues to alter the day-to-day lives of millions around the globe. That includes children, who have been forced to sit out school and reconfigure most of their summer plans due to the coronavirus.

Why some people get coronavirus symptoms, but still test negative

SF Chronicle

The first symptoms Brian Wilkes noticed were his loss of smell and taste. They popped up on March 23, five days after the 39-year-old and his 9-year-old son flew into Hawaii and one week after Bay Area counties ordered a shelter-in-place.

What are coronavirus ‘support bubbles’ and are they safe? Here’s what experts say

Fresno Bee

People from separate households were allowed to form “bubbles” in which they could interact without social distancing with only each other, according to BBC. They can visit each other’s homes, stay overnight and have “close physical contact” with one another.

Human Services:

New COVID-19 testing site opening in Los Banos Wednesday

abc30

A new coronavirus testing site will open in Los Banos on Wednesday. The new testing location was established through a partnership between the Merced County Department of Public Health and Golden Valley Health Centers to ensure testing is available to all county residents.

Covered Calif extends time for uninsured residents to sign up for health coverage

Sac Bee

Covered California announced Tuesday that it would extend a special enrollment period to July 31 to give Californians additional time to sign up for health insurance. It had been set to end June 30.

Technological Change in Health Care Delivery

UC Berkeley Labor Center

Ideally, technology can facilitate providers’ ability to offer care to more people. Subsumed within this objective is the goal of using technology to reduce the unit cost of care delivery.

● Opinion: Let COVID show us how health care can best harness new technologies The Hill

U.S. hospitals lose legal challenge to Trump price transparency rule

Reuters

A federal judge on Tuesday dismissed a challenge by hospital groups to a federal rule requiring them to disclose prices they quietly negotiate with insurers, in a victory for White House efforts to make healthcare pricing more transparent to patients.

Ninth Circuit Rejects Plaintiffs’ Claims in Trio of ADA Disability Access Cases

Ogletree Deakins

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit held in three related that accessible sales and service counters are not required to provide a minimum of 36 inches of usable counter space for disabled patrons, provided that the counter is no more than 36 inches high.

IMMIGRATION

Modesto-area Dreamers welcome high court ruling but still worry about deportation

Modesto Bee

Thousands of young immigrants in the Modesto area got a reprieve with last week’s high court ruling preserving the Dreamer program. But they warned that President Donald Trump could try again to end it and to start the process for deporting them.

As coronavirus surges, Trump turns attention to border wall on Arizona trip

abc30

President Donald Trump visited the U.S.-Mexico border Tuesday and tried to credit his new wall with stopping both illegal immigration and the coronavirus. But his visit played out as top public health officials in Washington were testifying about the ongoing threat posed by COVID-19, singling out Arizona as one of the states now experiencing a surge in cases.

See also:

● Trump to celebrate border wall milestone in Arizona Bakersfield Californian

● Trump campaigns on border wall progress. There’s not much of it LA Times

● Opinion: Building in the time of COVID-19: Why walls and not community? CalMatters

Trump, citing pandemic, orders limits on foreign workers, extends immigration restrictions through December

Washington Post

President Trump issued a proclamation Monday barring many categories of foreign workers and curbing immigration visas through the end of the year, moves the White House said will protect U.S. workers reeling from job losses amid the coronavirus pandemic.

LAND USE/HOUSING

Land Use:

Yosemite closes campgrounds over virus concerns

Fresno Bee

California’s Yosemite National Park is reversing course two weeks after reopening and now says it will hold off on reopening campgrounds through the month of July after a spike in coronavirus cases in the state.

● Yosemite, after partial reopening, cancels campground reservations through July Merced Sun-Star

Will Calif rename Negro Bar? State Park in Folsom confronts its racist history once more

Fresno Bee

Sac’s Gold Rush colonizer John Sutter came down on June 15, outside the hospital that bears his name. The next day, top California lawmakers ordered the removal of the statue of Christopher Columbus and Queen Isabella at the Capitol.

National Park Service removes Robert E. Lee’s name from giant sequoia

SF Chronicle

It’s not just statues coming down but the name of one of the world’s largest trees, which honors Confederate General Robert E. Lee. Officials at Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks last week removed their only known reference to the 255-foot Robert E. Lee Tree by yanking the name from an online list of the planet’s 30 biggest sequoias.

Rehabilitation hospital breaks ground at northeast Bakersfield medical campus

Bakersfield Californian

Construction has begun in northeast Bakersfield on a two-story, 50-bed inpatient rehabilitation hospital whose developers see it becoming part of a 46-acre medical-oriented complex along Highway 178 at Morning Drive.

Pandemic Stalls Investment In ‘Opportunity Zone’ Areas, Survey Says

NPR

The economic slowdown caused by the coronavirus pandemic is stifling a federal program meant to spur new investment in low-income neighborhoods, according to a new survey from an advocacy group that backs the initiative.

Housing:

Black Californians’ housing crisis, by the numbers

LA Daily News

Systemic racism in public policy and the private housing market has long made finding a safe, stable and affordable home in the Golden State a more difficult prospect for its roughly 2.2 million black residents than for white people.

Strategies for increasing affordable housing amid the COVID-19 economic crisis

Brookings

Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, millions of Americans lacked stable, affordable housing. Now, the crisis has highlighted the social and economic costs of this crucial gap in the safety net.

PUBLIC FINANCES

Sitting CalPERS board member sues Calif pension fund president, claiming retaliation

Fresno Bee

CalPERS board member Margaret Brown is suing board president Henry Jones, saying he improperly disciplined her over allegations that she misused the CalPERS name and logo for campaign purposes.

The IRS is finally staffing up. Here’s how to get your coronavirus stimulus money

LA Times

We do not make enough income to file tax returns, so we used the IRS site to apply for our economic stimulus payment ($1,700 for one adult and one teenage child). We received a response email stating our information was received successfully by the IRS several weeks ago.

Treasury Dept. May Consider Extending Tax Filing Deadline a Second Time

Wall Street Journal

The government may consider postponing the 2019 annual tax-filing deadline a second time, though Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin suggested Tuesday that the benefits of doing so would be less clear than before.

Opinion: Retirees’ Security Trumps Other Social Goals

Wall Street Journal

The Labor Department proposed a rule Tuesday that will govern how the $10.7 trillion invested in private pension plans should be managed in light of the push to consider the environment, social factors and corporate governance, or ESG, when making investment decisions.

TRANSPORTATION

Amtrak medical chief explains coronavirus safety measures on trains, in stations

Sac Bee

Enhanced cleaning, more space for physical distancing, travel flexibility and a contact-free travel experience are Amtrak’s new standard of travel during coronavirus pandemic, says Amtrak Medical Director Dr. Ann Kuhnen.

DMV’s behind-the-wheel driver’s tests to resume Friday: What you need to know

SF Chronicle

The Department of Motor Vehicles said Tuesday that it will resume the tests, which it suspended in mid-March because of the coronavirus outbreak. The DMV said that it will automatically reschedule all canceled appointments over the next several weeks.

WATER

Dos Palos shutting off water to residents due to emergency algae problem

Fresno Bee

A water emergency has been declared in the City of Dos Palos after its water treatment plant became clogged with algae, according to the city’s website. The city said residents should prepare for water service to be turned off for at least three days or more.

“Xtra”

Rawhide, Visalia cancel firework shows

Visalia Times Delta

Fourth of July firework displays draw big crowds in Tulare County. However, in the midst of a pandemic, local city officials are canceling traditional firework shows to curb the spread of COVID-19.

Wear a coronavirus mask in popular Las Vegas casinos and get an extra $20 to lose

Fresno Bee

You don’t have to place a bet to win an extra $20 in some Las Vegas casinos. As the coronavirus pandemic continues, Caesars Entertainment is giving $20 to casino guests who wear masks, the company said.