POLICY & POLITICS
North SJ Valley:
As coronavirus cases surge, Stanislaus County decides today on further reopening
Modesto Bee
Changes would take effect Friday or later.
County prepares for next steps in reopening
Turlock Journal
The coming week could see the re-opening of more businesses in Stanislaus County, including bars, gyms, hotels and family entertainment centers.
Stanislaus County could give millions of dollars in CARES Act money to its cities
Modesto Bee
Stanislaus County could spread $15 million in CARES Act money among its nine cities to help with costs of dealing with the coronavirus pandemic. Modesto would get $7.5 million in assistance, though there are limits on how the federal money can be used.
Hear why people at peaceful downtown Modesto rally are protesting
Modesto Bee
Roughly 100 people gathered in 10th Street Plaza in downtown Modesto for rally organized by ActionsOver# Facebook group.
See Also:
● Community convenes downtown for peaceful vigil Turlock Journal
● Update: Protesters in Modesto, Turlock, Ripon; Rumored Oakdale protest doesn’t materializeModesto Bee
Peaceful Turlock Black Lives Matter vigil calls for difficult conversations on race
Modesto Bee
Activists at a Turlock vigil memorializing victims of police brutality urged Stanislaus County residents to talk with people whose life experiences differ from their own. Although George Floyd died in Minnesota, speakers told the gathering of about 500 people that they can push for racial justice by challenging biases and taking everyday actions.
Merced activists, police chief ‘take a knee’ at candlelight vigil for George Floyd
Fresno Bee
A diverse cross section of Merced residents came together Friday evening for a candlelight vigil to honor George Floyd. The peaceful gathering, organized by the Merced NAACP branch, drew at least 200 people to the front of the Merced County Courthouse Museum.
Central SJ Valley:
Two young, healthy people died from COVID-19. There will be more, Fresno officials say
Fresno Bee
Recently reported COVID-19 deaths in Fresno County included younger patients — one between the ages of 18 and 44 and another between the ages of 45 and 64 — with no other medical conditions that contributed to their deaths.
See also:
● How deadly is COVID-19 compared to other causes of death among Fresno area residents? Fresno Bee
● Fresno County coronavirus count keeps climbing, with 1-in-10 chance of hospitalization Fresno Bee
● Central Valley counties continue adding COVID-19 cases. Fresno reports more deaths Fresno Bee
● Fresno City Council Approves Mask Requirement In City Hall; One Member Says It Targets HimVPR
Affirmation of unity for Black Lives Matter held along Alluvial
Fresno Bee
Unitarian Universalist Church of Fresno joined with Fresno Buddhist Center to support Black Lives Matter again on Friday along Alluvial Avenue in northeast Fresno.
See Also:
● More than 250 people marched in southwest Fresno Fresno Bee
● Athletes’ voices resonate as protests continue in Fresno and throughout central Valley Fresno Bee
● Valley athletes hold Black Lives Matter demonstration at River Park shopping center Fresno Bee
● Protests held around the South Valley amid George Floyd’s death abc30
● Hundreds gather in northeast Fresno to voice concerns about police brutality abc30
● ‘Ask Us How We Feel’ – Madera Youth Organize Peaceful Protest Against Police Brutality VPR
● African-American Leaders Talk Local Protests Against Police Brutality VPR
● ‘Ask Us How We Feel’ – Madera Youth Organize Peaceful Protest Against Police Brutality VPR
How can Fresno prevent a George Floyd moment? It’s time for community-based policing
Fresno Bee
In the view of key activists and advocates, Fresno is just one moment away from a George Floyd incident. That may seem alarmist, but Fresno police have engaged in officer-involved shootings frequently since 2001, an ACLU reportfound.
See also:
● Despite the push for reforms, police are still fatally shooting nearly 1,000 people each year, The Post’s database shows Washington Post
● Editorial: Fresno leaders must make community based policing happen Fresno Bee
Opinion: The Alternate Racial Realities of Life in Clovis
GV Wire
A few years ago I watched the movie, “McFarland, USA” about a cross country team in a largely agricultural, small town, in the San Joaquin Valley
Madera County Sheriff fires deputy for racist remark
Fresno Bee
The Madera County Sheriff’s Office moved swiftly to back up a promise that it has heard the public outcry to rid law enforcement of bad and racist cops. A deputy was quickly fired after it was learned he had posted, years ago, “an extremely offensive racial slur” on social media.
See Also:
● Madera County Sheriff’s Deputy fired after using racial slur on social media abc30
Warszawski: Other cities have encouraged walking and biking with ‘slow streets.’ Why not Fresno?
Fresno Bee
When it comes to taking steps that encourage safe walking and biking, Fresno is seldom proactive. Not when compared to other large cities in California, or even it’s smaller next-door neighbor.
South SJ Valley:
Kern County moves into Stage 3 reopening
Bakersfield Californian
Kern County permitted 12 additional business sectors to reopen Friday in conjunction with the California Department of Public Health’s new guidance documents for industries not previously permitted to open under the governor’s COVID-19 stay-at-home order.
See also:
● Kern Public Health reports 70 new coronavirus cases Sunday Bakersfield Californian
● Kings County CA to offer free COVID-19 testing to residents Fresno Bee
● Column: Jose Gaspar: County reacts slowly to pandemic among Hispanics in KernBakersfield Californian
● Amidst Demonstrations And Reopenings, Kern County Watching COVID-19 Caseload ‘Very Closely’ VPR
At rally, local citizen implores voters to ‘take action’ at voting booth in November
Bakersfield Californian
Feeling the rage that’s in the air in many communities across the country, Joseph Fonceca is hopeful protesters will put their anger to good use in November. Fonceca, a Bakersfield native who identifies himself as “just another average citizen who’s concerned with our community and country in general,” spent much of his Saturday hoping to get through to potential voters at a Black Lives Matter rally held at Beach Park.
State:
California has one week to pass a budget. Congress doesn’t plan to help in time — if at all
Fresno Bee
Washington has no plans to vote on more federal aid to the states before California’s June 15 deadline to pass a state budget — a budget that Democratic lawmakers say badly needs help for schools, health care, police and just for keeping thousands of people working.
● California budget cuts depend on federal coronavirus aid Sacramento Bee
● ‘Mutually repugnant:’ Gov. Newsom and lawmakers pursue budget compromise CALmatters
● Walters: A rift over closing the budget deficit CALmatters
Bars, gyms and more can begin reopening in California next week
Fresno Bee
Bars, gyms and a wide range of other venues can begin reopening in California starting next week under new state guidance announced Friday. Counties will decide how far to go under the state guidelines based on local conditions such as coronavirus infection rates and ability to track COVID-19 cases, Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly said.
See Also:
● Reopening California: State to allow schools, gyms, bars to begin reopening next week abc30
● California could reopen gyms, bars and professional sports soon but warns ‘guidance doesn’t mean go’ LA Times
● California posts guidelines for gyms, bars, hotels, camps to reopen as soon as June 12 CALmatters
● California to let schools, gyms, bars reopen this week Public CEO
● California says range of activities — including gyms and bars — can reopen soon Politico
Affirmative action and reparations. California’s black lawmakers say it’s time to do more
Sacramento Bee
A year ago, California passed one of the strictest policies in the nation on the use of deadly force by police. After a Minneapolis police officer kneeled on George Floyd’s neck for nearly nine minutes, the author of the measure says his death shows more must be done.
See also:
● Gavin Newsom backs ‘stranglehold’ restraint ban for California police after George Floyd’s deathSacramento Bee
● State Legislature must let Californians vote on whether to restore affirmative action Sacramento Bee
● Police training, affirmative action and reparations on the agenda CALmatters
● Opinion: CA legislature must pass affirmative action amendment Fresno Bee
● California Gov. Newsom calls for statewide use-of-force standard TheHill
Newsom seeks statewide reform of police use of force
Public CEO
Gov. Gavin Newsom announced today that he has directed California’s police training agency to stop teaching the carotid hold as part of an effort to create statewide standards to guide police use of force.
How to be civically or politically active during a pandemic
LA Times
Whether you’re breaking quarantine to protest in the streets or looking for ways to participate safely from home, here’s how to get started.
The racial divide on California’s coronavirus crisis
LA Times
California’s communities of color have hit been hit much harder by the effects of the coronavirus and want more, not less, protection against its spread.
See also:
● Editorial: 7 things Californians can do to fight structural racism LA Times
●
● OPINION: State Leg must let Californians vote on whether to restore affirmative actionSacramento Bee
Walters: Whither California after crises abate?
CALmatters
Someday, the COVID-19 pandemic will have subsided, probably when effective biologic treatments and vaccines emerge.
Federal:
abc30
Protesters streamed into the nation’s capital Saturday for what was expected to be the city’s largest demonstration yet against police brutality since the killing of George Floyd.
See Also:
● Massive protests fill Washington to decry killing of George Floyd LA Times
● As Trump Condemns Antifa, Protest Records Show Scant Evidence Time
● Americans Are More Troubled by Police Actions in Killing of George Floyd Than by Violence at Protests, Poll Finds Wall Street Journal
● America convulses amid a week of protests, but can it change? Washington Post
● US image takes a hit as world reacts to Floyd protests TheHill
● Opinion: My tiny, white town just held a protest. We’re not alone. Washington Post
● Opinion: This moment cries out for us to confront race in AmericaWashington Post
Congressional Democrats unveil police reform legislation in response to protests
Washington Post
As debate swirls over police department funding, congressional Democrats on Monday unveiled sweeping police reform legislation in response to the killing of George Floyd.
See also:
● House Democrats Seek Policing Overhaul Amid Widespread Protests Wall Street Journal
● Protests spread over police shootings. Police promised reforms. Every year, they still shoot and kill nearly 1,000 people. Washington Post
● In Wake Of Protests, Democrats To Unveil Police Reform Legislation VPR
● Editorial: Justice reforms are at risk at the ballot box. Protest now, vote in November LA Times
abc30
Tensions between the White House and Pentagon have stretched to near a breaking point over President Donald Trump’s threat to use military force against street protests triggered by George Floyd’s death.
See Also:
● Trump demanded 10,000 active-duty troops deploy to streets in heated Oval Office meeting CBS News
● Column: Trump finds an unexpected center of resistance: the Pentagon LA Times
A third in US go to dangerous lengths in fight against coronavirus, CDC survey finds
Fresno Bee
The survey even found 8% tried either drinking or gargling diluted bleach, disinfectant or other cleaning products.
WHO reverses course, now advises wear face masks to fight coronavirus spread
Fresno Bee
“Masks on their own will not protect you from COVID-19,” the global health agency says.
See also:
● America Is Giving Up on the Pandemic The Atlantic
● Coronavirus: This is not the last pandemic BBC News
● Study: Social Distancing and Face Masks Work for COVID-19 Time
U.S. Postal Service faces extra coronavirus financial woes
LA Times
There may be no institution more American than the United States Postal Service, which traces its roots to 1775, when Benjamin Franklin was named the first postmaster general by the Continental Congress. And yet today, in 2020, its finances are imperiled, its workers are menaced by the dreaded coronavirus and its status has been threatened by the 45th president, who in April declared, “The Postal Service is a joke.”
Editorial: Trump loves to manipulate policy in times of crisis. Here’s how Congress can stop him
LA Times
President Trump on Thursday signed yet another executive order targeting federal regulations that he believes are holding back the U.S. economy. This time around he decreed that federal agencies can ignore decades of environmental law — including the Endangered Species Act and the National Environmental Policy Act — to fast-track approvals for new mines and oil wells, roadway construction, pipelines and other job-creating projects.
The 7 most anticipated Supreme Court decisions
TheHill
The Supreme Court is expected to hand down several blockbuster opinions in the next few weeks as one of the most politically volatile terms in recent memory draws to a close.
Opinion: America, This Is Your Chance
NY Times
We must get it right this time or risk losing our democracy forever.
Coronavirus Trackers:
Coronavirus (COVID-19) in California
COVID-19 is a new illness that can affect your lungs and airways. It’s caused by a virus called coronavirus.
See also:
● California Department of Public Health
● Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) Pandemic – WHO
● John Hopkins University & Medicine John Hopkins University
● Tracking coronavirus in California LA Times
● Coronavirus Tracker SF Chronicle
● Coronavirus in the U.S.: Latest Map and Case Count NY 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:
Poll: 80% of voters say things are ‘out of control’ in US
TheHill
An overwhelming majority of American voters say in a new poll that things are currently “out of control” as the nation grapples with the coronavirus pandemic and widespread protests in response to the police-involved death of George Floyd.
Former VP Biden formally clinches Democratic presidential nomination
abc30
Joe Biden formally clinched the Democratic presidential nomination Friday, setting him up for a bruising challenge to President Donald Trump that will play out against the unprecedented backdrop of a pandemic, economic collapse and civil unrest.
See Also:
● Biden vows police reform after sealing Democratic nomination to challenge Trump LA Times
● Colin Powell Says He’s Voting For Biden NPR
● Police unions coalition director: Biden ‘off the deep end’ in calls for reform TheHill
Trump’s internal polls: ‘Brutal’ falloff among independents and a ‘woman problem
The Week
A CNN/SSRS poll released Monday morning shows former Vice President Joe Biden crushing President Trump by 14 percentage points, 55 percent to 41 percent, in a head-to-head matchup five months before the election.
See also:
● Trump’s job approval falls amid racial unrest, while Biden jumps to 14-point lead CNN
● The gender gap between Trump and Biden has turned into a gender canyon NBC
● Poll: Trump Approval Rating Dips After George Floyd Was Killed NPR
● Vote for Trump? These Republican Leaders Aren’t on the Bandwagon. NY Times
California confident it can run November election smoothly even with coronavirus
SF Chronicle
The coronavirus turned what already promised to be an unprecedented presidential election year into a new test for California and its voting system, Secretary of State Alex Padilla said Friday. The March 3 primary spotlighted the enthusiasm California voters were feeling, Padilla said in an hour-long online interview with Mark Baldassare, president and CEO of the nonpartisan Public Policy Institute of California.
Commentary: The Republican problem with voting by mail
CALmatters
Along with everything else in the 2020 election, we are now going to fight about how to cast the votes.
See also:
● Why Gov. Newsom’s order to mail November ballots to all Californians is wrong San Diego Tribune
● Turnout surges after states expand mail-in voting TheHill
● Donald Trump is Waging War on Vote-By-Mail. The Facts Don’t Support It Time
CALmatters
California became a player in the 2020 presidential election when the state moved its primary from June to March. The timing meant California voters could help select the Democratic nominee before the national primary ceased to be competitive.
California progressive politicians turning away campaign cash from cops
CALmatters
Two state senators and a group of district attorneys say thanks, but no thanks, to campaign contributions from unions representing law enforcement officers.
Opinion: Defunding police will lead to Republican victory this year
TheHill
In the wake of the death of George Floyd, protests have swept the nation, calling for overdue systemic reforms in law enforcement mechanisms. It is clear that immediate action must be taken to reform the police, given that inaction in the last half century has allowed racist and brutal measures to stand. However, the idea from Democrats to defund or abolish the police entirely is dangerous from any political and practical perspective.
See also:
● Editorial: Defund the LAPD? It’s time to rethink public safety in LA LA Times
Other:
Health misinformation website rebrands as pro-Trump outlet to get around ban from Facebook
PolitiFact
Looking to better understand the sordid world of online misinformation? This story, from PolitiFact’s Daniel Funke, is worth a read.
George Soros didn’t say he would bring down U.S. by funding ‘black hate groups’
PolitiFact
As the United States reckons with the death of George Floyd, it seems George Soros’ name is increasingly invoked as social media posts sow doubt about the authenticity of protests across the country.
See also:
● Photos of George Soros ‘Riot Dance Squad’ buses were doctored PolitiFact
Conservatives charge liberals with social-distancing hypocrisy
Politico
They say liberals have stopped scolding protesters for violating social-distancing guidelines for political expediency.
The Long Reach of Racism in the U.S.
Wall Street Journal
Despite great progress across two centuries, exclusion and injustice remain the reality for too many black Americans.
See also:
· Opinion: American civilization and its discontents AEI
· Opinion: The evils of injustice and the danger of mobocracy AEI
· Austin Petersen — Missing the Forest for the Trees National Review
· Condolezza Rice: This moment cries out for us to confront race in America Washington Post
Washington Post
The NY Times on Sunday announced the resignation of its editorial page editor James Bennet, who had held the position since May 2016, and the reassignment of deputy editorial page editor James Dao to the newsroom.
See also:
· Inside the Revolts Erupting in America’s Big Newsrooms NY Times
Déjà Vu For Millennials Staring At The 2nd Recession Of Their Adult Lives
VPR
Millennials might be getting a queasy sense of déjà vu right now. Another economic crisis — like a punch in the gut. The pandemic has already sent unemployment into double-digit territory, and a coronavirus recession would be the second one in many millennials’ adult lives, after the Great Recession. For the very oldest millennials, it would be the third, counting the post-Sept. 11 recession..
AGRICULTURE/FOOD
New restaurants coming to Fresno’s River Park, longtime businesses closing, more changes
Fresno Bee
River Park is looking a little different these days. And it’s not just because the shopping center is emerging from months of coronavirus shelter-at-home orders. Some big names at the center have closed. New restaurants are opening for the first time. Other big changes are in the works too.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE/FIRE/PUBLIC SAFETY
Crime:
Newsom backs ‘stranglehold’ restraint ban for Calif police after George Floyd’s death
Fresno Bee
Gov. Gavin Newsom said Friday he’s moving to ban police in California from restraining people with the tactic used in Minneapolis on George Floyd. Newsom said he’ll remove the technique, known as a carotid restraint, from statewide law enforcement training and is endorsing a bill, AB 1196, to ban the practice.
See Also:
● Gov. Newsom Orders End To Controversial Chokehold Training, Calls For Use Of Force Restrictions During Protests Capital Public Radio
● Newsom calls for new California restrictions on police use of force following death of George Floyd LA Times
● Newsom calls for new protest policing standards in California, ban on carotid holds SF Chronicle
Are Police Becoming Too Militarized, And Does It Escalate Conflict?
Capital Public Radio
Just two months ago, before the coronavirus closed businesses and before the killing of George Floyd shook the nation, Sacramento City Council made an unpopular, but relatively quiet decision. They voted to spend $400,000 from the city’s public works fund to buy an armored military vehicle called a Lenco Bearcat.
See also:
● What Congress Can Do About Police Abuse Wall Street Journal
● Editorial: Police don’t need your macho help. Counterprotesters at George Floyd rallies must stand down Modesto Bee
How Police Unions Became Such Powerful Opponents to Reform Efforts
NY Times
Half a decade after a spate of officer-involved deaths inspired widespread protest, many police unions are digging in to defend members.
Supreme Court Weighs Qualified Immunity For Police Accused Of Misconduct
VPR
With the country awash in protests over the death of George Floyd, the U.S. Supreme Court is examining a modern-day legal doctrine created by judges that has shielded police and other government officials from lawsuits over their conduct. The doctrine is called “qualified immunity.”
See also:
● Are U.S. cops different? POLITICO
Editorial: Crime and the Coronavirus
Wall Street Journal
A new study finds that released criminals may be spreading the virus.
Public Safety:
Coronavirus in prisons: See which area of the Valley is the most impacted
Fresno Bee
The number of coronavirus cases in Kings County more than doubled over the past week, fueled by major spikes in positive tests for COVID-19 infections among the inmate population at Avenal State Prison.
See also:
● Protest held at Avenal State Prison after COVID-19 outbreak inside facility abc30
● Prisons account for almost 60% of Kings Co. COVID-19 cases Fresno Bee
Fire:
Authorities issue evacuation orders for wildfire near city
Fresno Bee
Authorities on Saturday issued mandatory evacuation orders for people living near a wildfire that is 15 miles north of Vacaville, local media report. The 1.9-square-mile fire that started at 4:30 p.m. is burning in the area of Quail Canyon Road and Pleasants Valley Road, the KOVR TV station and the Sacramento Bee reported.
See Also:
● Quail Fire In Sonoma County Fire Leads To Evacuations Capital Public Radio
● Quail Fire near Winters leaps to 1,200 acres, destroying 2 structures, threatening 100 moreSacramento Bee
Is California’s last youth fire camp worth saving?
CALmatters
California’s last juvenile fire camp could close due to state budget cuts. Though critics question putting young inmates in danger for as little as $1 an hour, supporters say it’s one of the few proven models for rehabilitation.
CALmatters
California’s efforts to provide vulnerable citizens with clean energy storage systems to help keep the lights on during wildfire-related power shut-offs is on track to provide more than 10,000 new storage systems for customers in 2020.
Full funds for PG&E fire victims may not be ready for 6 years, lawyer says
SF Chronicle
Even as PG&E Corp.’s bankruptcy judge is poised to soon decide the outcome of the case, a crucial factor that will influence how and when wildfire victims get paid remains unresolved.
California Was Set To Spend Over $1 Billion to Prevent Wildfires. Then Came COVID-19
VPR
Still recovering from devastating wildfires, California was poised to spend billions of dollars to prepare for future fires and other extreme weather disasters. The infrastructure projects, designed to make communities and homes more resistant to wildfire, have long been overlooked, fire experts say. But with a $54 billion budget deficit, the programs are being put on hold.
ECONOMY/JOBS
Economy:
Local retail, office markets face uphill battle during crisis
Bakersfield Californian
Kern’s market for office and retail space continues to face a stiff challenge from the quarantine, though local commercial real estate professionals say some of the recent problems predate the pandemic and it’s possible the overall impact of the crisis might not be as bad as feared.
See also:
● How To Reopen Retail Stores And Malls Forbes
Local borrowers keep head above water, so far
Bakersfield Californian
Local banks and credit unions say Kern County borrowers have largely avoided falling behind on their debt payments during the quarantine, mostly because of loan deferments and government assistance programs, but that it’s unclear how long the pattern will hold as the coronavirus crisis drags on.
Wall Street doubts Fed’s $600-billion lending plan can succeed
LA Times
The Federal Reserve is about to launch a $600-billion gambit to save swaths of U.S. businesses and tens of millions of jobs threatened by the coronavirus crisis. Wall Street is far from confident the Fed can pull it off.
PG&E readies $11-billion jumbo debt deal
LA Times
Utility giant PG&E Corp. is readying an $11-billion debt-financing package that may be sold to investors as soon as next week as the company prepares to exit bankruptcy, according to people with knowledge of the matter.
Collateral damage: Can small businesses survive this “double whammy”?
CALmatters
The timing couldn’t be worse for small businesses in California just starting to reopen from the pandemic, then damaged amid anti-racism uprisings.
Coronavirus ‘a devastating blow for world economy’
BBC News
The coronavirus pandemic is a “devastating blow” for the world economy, according to World Bank President David Malpass.
Jobs:
White House touts 13.3% unemployment rate. Newsom says economic stimulus still needed
Fresno Bee
Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday blasted a senior White House adviser who argued there’s no need for Congress to pass another economic stimulus package to help Americans recover from the coronavorius outbreak.
See Also:
● A government error means the jobless rate has been higher than reported since the pandemic’s start — even if it’s declining now Washington Post
● Opinion: Extending additional benefits to the unemployed can slow job growth AEI
● Commentary: Unemployment Rate: Measuring Is Hard in a Pandemic National Review
● Gavin Newsom promised progress for California’s unemployment office — but many can’t see itFresno Bee
● Gig driver or Uber/Lyft employee? It affects unemployment benefits SF Chronicle
● ‘I don’t know if that counts as a job’: Fewer hours, less pay and more anxiety greet returning workers Washington Post
● COVID Claims: Over 5,000 Californians File For Workers’ Comp Capital Public Radio
● Thousands of coronavirus-infected Californians file for workers’ compensation SF Chronicle
American jobs are returning, but summer could be ugly
LA Times
For the Evinrude Motor Company, it all started with a boy, a girl, a lake, a rowboat and some ice cream. It looks like it is going to end with an economic crisis born out of a pandemic.
There’s a black jobs crisis. Coronavirus is making it worse
LA Times
After weeks of catastrophic job loss across the country, May’s labor report held out a glimmer of hope: The nation’s overall unemployment rate ticked down to 13.3%, from 14.2% in April. But for black Americans it was more bad news: A staggering 16.8% of the African American labor force was out of work, up a notch from 16.7% in April.
See also:
● Unemployment numbers for black workers increased even though U.S. rate fell CBS News
Oakland resident Cherri Murphy, 53, has spent three years driving full time for Lyft in addition to her volunteer work as a social justice minister. When the coronavirus pandemic hit, “I was forced to make a decision: Do something that could kill me, or pay my bills?”
How Businesses Can Keep Employees Safe From Coronavirus
Wall Street Journal
Companies can deploy routine testing and tools like pooling samples to detect outbreaks.
OPINION: Some employees won’t return to work despite Stanislaus reopening
Modesto Bee
Small business owners all over Stanislaus County need Christopher Voss, and right now. Without a man with his skills fighting for us, we’ll be paralyzed, understaffed, and outpaid by our own government.
Opinion: 5 Ways to Rebuild Labor and Transform America
The Nation
The economic fallout from Covid-19 has created an opening for unions to lead a mass movement.
EDUCATION
K-12:
Yosemite High student accepts father’s challenge and then some with $50K donation
Fresno Bee
What are high school students doing during the shutdown caused by the coronavirus pandemic? Yosemite High junior Avery Bunnell was making a difference, thanks to accepting a challenge from his father.
See Also:
● Yosemite High student helps raise funds & supplies during pandemic Sierra Star
Clovis student’s ‘deeply disturbing’ racist comments under investigation by district
Fresno Bee
Thousands of community members are calling for the expulsion of a Clovis Unified student who posted racist statements on social media about George Floyd protesters. The student’s comments contained multiple racial slurs, including repeated use of the N-word and ended by suggesting white people should protest violence by “hunting and killing” black people.
See also:
● The banality of racism in education Brookings
Fresno Unified investigating racial incident involving Hoover High staff
Fresno Bee
Fresno Unified School District officials say they are investigating a “racially insensitive incident” that happened Friday night during a Hoover High staff end-of-year celebration.
Are these Fresno students ‘falling through the cracks?’ Parents push for changes
Fresno Bee
Blanca Contreras’ son has been learning English since he was in the first grade — and it’s been a struggle. As her son prepares for middle school in Fresno, she worries his academic difficulties will soon cause his school to classify him as a Long-term English Learning student.
Turlock Journal
A 10 percent reduction — $6.5 billion — to the Local Control Funding Formula has forced Turlock Unified School District to make cuts.
Temperature checks, masks for teachers: California releases stringent school reopening rules
SF Chronicle
When California’s more than 6 million K-12 students return in a few months, they will face a starkly different learning environment. Students should have their temperatures taken every morning, with no-touch thermometers. Teachers should wear face masks or shields. Desks should be spaced 6 feet apart, separated by partitions or staggered to avoid face-to-face contact.
Reopening schools amid the COVID-19 pandemic
Brookings
With the arrival of summer break, school systems across the country have mostly signed off of their remote teaching, and school leaders’ focus now shifts to reopening schools for live instruction in the next academic year.
See also:
● The impact of COVID-19 on student achievement and what it may mean for educators Brookings
Higher Ed:
How Fresno State is helping grads find jobs amid COVID-19
abc30
It’s not an easy time for graduates trying to enter the workforce in 2020. Fresno State graduate Steven Loa started looking for jobs back in March and says the process wasn’t easy. “It was incredibly stressful, on top of finals, on top of trying to finish with a strong GPA, you’re trying to transition to the work world,” Loa said.
‘It’s the new Chinese Exclusion Act’: How a Trump order could hurt Calif universities
LA Times
President Trump’s recent decision to halt entry of some Chinese graduate students to the U.S. is sowing broad anxiety, particularly in California, as universities fear they could lose an essential source of research talent.
Online college classes are here to stay.
Brookings
Of the many things that are uncertain about how American higher education will look in fall 2020, one thing is not: Online learning is here to stay.
ENVIRONMENT/ENERGY
Environment:
Trump weakens environmental laws to help economy in COVID-19
Fresno Bee
President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday that would allow government agencies to look past historic environmental regulations in order to speed federal approval of infrastructure projects that he says will return Americans to work during the coronavirus pandemic.
Public Health warns of blue-green algae in Lake Isabella Lake
KBAK
The Kern County Public Health Department are advising people to avoid active algal blooms when visiting Isabella Lake.
Energy:
OPEC and its allies agree to extend production cuts to promote oil market recovery
LA Times
OPEC and its allies have agreed to a one-month extension of record output reductions and adopted a more stringent approach to ensuring members don’t break their production pledges.
Solar industry sees a threat to one of its top selling points
Roll Call
The solar industry, struggling amid the coronavirus pandemic, faces another threat at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission: a petition that would effectively end a key incentive for installing rooftop solar called net metering.
HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES
Health:
New record of 3,603 positive tests in one day as California passes 125,000 cases
Fresno Bee
California set a new single-day record for confirmed coronavirus cases on Friday, as a surge of new positive tests pushed the number of cases statewide above 125,000. According to data compiled by the San Jose Mercury News, public health officials throughout the state reported 3,603 new coronavirus cases and 83 new deaths Friday.
See Also:
● Central Valley counties continue adding COVID-19 cases. Fresno reports more deaths Fresno Bee
● How deadly is COVID-19 compared to other causes of death among Fresno area residents? Fresno Bee
● Fresno County coronavirus count keeps climbing, with 1-in-10 chance of hospitalization Fresno Bee
● Two young, healthy people died from COVID-19. There will be more, Fresno officials say Fresno Bee
● Coronavirus: Tracking Central California COVID-19 cases abc30
● Coronavirus update: Two more deaths in Stanislaus County; positivity rate holds Modesto Bee
● Stanislaus County coronavirus positivity rates on rise Modesto Bee
● Kern County Public Health Services reports 116 new cases of coronavirus Bakersfield Californian
● Kern Public Health confirms 74 new COVID-19 cases, including two deaths KGET 17
● Coronavirus infections still rising in Stanislaus County. But officials are not alarmed Modesto Bee
● New record of 3,603 positive tests in one day as California passes 125,000 cases Sacramento Bee
● Newest Coronavirus Hot Spots Include California And The South NPR
● California and Some Other States See Coronavirus Cases Rise Wall Street Journal
Merced County officials breathe sigh of relief, as tests from nursing home come back
Fresno Bee
Less than a week after it was reported that 148 individuals were tested for coronavirus following an outbreak at Anberry Transitional Care, each test has come back negative, a Merced County Public Health spokesperson told the Sun-Star Friday.
Bakersfield Californian
Local medical professionals are urging parents to continue vaccinating their children after immunization rates have plummeted as parents stay home, worried about the coronavirus.
Washington Post
A study published Monday finds that shutdown orders prevented about 285 million coronavirus infections in China and about 60 million in the United States.
From Camping To Dining Out: Here’s How Experts Rate The Risks Of 14 Summer Activities
NPR
The weather is warming up and public spaces are starting to reopen. How do you decide what’s safe to do? We have guidance to help you compare and evaluate the risks.
Covid-19 Stalks Large Families in Rural America
Wall Street Journal
Remote regions with crowded households have turned deadlier than some city blocks
See also:
● Mapping COVID-19’s spread from blue to red America Brookings
Protests Complicate Mayors’ Efforts to Combat Coronavirus
Wall Street Journal
Cities, filling a gap left by federal government, work on testing and tracing; a moment of crisis for Atlanta mayor.
See also:
● Amid reopenings and street protests, coronavirus transmission remains high in much of the U.S.Washington Post
Why COVID-19 kills some people and spares others. What scientists are finding.
Live Science
The novel coronavirus causing COVID-19 seems to hit some people harder than others, with some people experiencing only mild symptoms and others being hospitalized and requiring ventilation. Though scientists at first thought age was the dominant factor, with young people avoiding the worst outcomes, new research has revealed a suite of features impacting disease severity. These influences could explain why some perfectly healthy 20-year-old with the disease is in dire straits, while an older 70-year-old dodges the need for critical interventions.
See also:
● Patients with high blood pressure have twice the risk of dying from coronavirus, study finds CNN
● Doctors Race For Answers As Kids Fight Rare Inflammatory Syndrome Tied To Coronavirus VPR
● Hospital learns Covid lessons on the fly Mariposa Gazette
Human Services:
California gives mask manufacturer more time on $1 billion coronavirus contract
Fresno Bee
California has granted an extension on the $1 billion contract for coronavirus masks it awarded for to China-based manufacturer BYD two months ago, the Newsom administration announced Friday.
See Also:
● Calif grants another extension to BYD in delivering $1-billion order of N95 masks LA Times
Calif wanted to stockpile 10,000 ventilators for COVID-19. Most have yet to arrive
Fresno Bee
In March, during a frantic effort to equip the state for the pandemic, Gov. Gavin Newsom set an ambitious goal of buying 10,000 ventilators to ensure hospitals weren’t overwhelmed by a surge in COVID-19 patients.
See also:
● CA stockpile of ventilators for COVID-19 surge still on order Sacramento Bee
Calif nursing home deaths from COVID-19 doubled last month, as state pushes more testing
Fresno Bee
Deaths in California nursing homes from COVID-19 more than doubled during the month of May, as skilled-care facilities for the elderly continue to disproportionately bear the brunt of the pandemic across the United States.
See also:
● California’s respite care centers for seniors threatened by state budget disaster SF Chronicle
Kings County offers free COVID-19 tests to residents, including uninsured and undocumented
Fresno Bee
Kings County on Monday will start offering free COVID-19 testing to all county residents, including the uninsured and undocumented immigrants.
See also:
● Should I get a coronavirus test before seeing friends and family? SF Chronicle
Predicting the COVID-19 Medi-Cal Enrollment Surge
PPIC
Pre-pandemic health coverage patterns in the industries hit hardest by the current downturn can help gauge how Medi-Cal enrollment might increase due to COVID-19.
Why America’s Nurses Were Not Prepared For The Coronavirus Pandemic
Forbes
As Covid-19 continues to spread across the United States, it has become evident that the country was woefully unprepared to staff, mobilize and protect our nation’s nurses in order to meet the surge of patients presenting with a severe and contagious respiratory disease.
Fauci: Chinese authorities did a ‘disservice’ by not allowing scientists to speak about COVID-19
TheHill
Anthony Fauci, the nation’s leading infectious disease expert, said that Chinese authorities did a “disservice” by not allowing scientists in their country to speak freely about COVID-19 at the start of the virus’s outbreak.
States Are Short the Contact Tracers Needed to Emerge Safely from Coronavirus Lockdown
Wall Street Journal
Role in mitigating a Covid-19 resurgence key to reversing economic devastation; ‘got to do better’.
IMMIGRATION
OPINION: Gov. Newsom’s budget plan abandons undocumented immigrants in middle of a pandemic
Sacramento Bee
The impact of COVID-19 on people across the world has devastated not only my physical health but also the stability of my employment. Yet essential workers have had to continue to risk their lives to do their jobs while others are able to shelter in place and work from home.
LAND USE/HOUSING
Land Use:
What will it take to allow public parking at Fresno’s biggest parks amid COVID-19?
Fresno Bee
As stores are opening in Fresno, city leaders are weighing freeing up parking spaces at parks — but the process can be tricky, officials say. More and more restaurants and shops have begun working their way back into the economy after being closed more than two months to help tamp down the spread of the coronavirus.
Housing:
New housing community opens in Northeast Fresno
abc30
The Residences at the Row are now open. “We’ve very excited to now start the leasing process and invite people in to start creating memories here in our development,” said Vincent Ricchiuti, managing partner.
PUBLIC FINANCES
Government job losses are piling up, and it could get worse
Bakersfield Californian
Jobs with state and city governments are usually a source of stability in the U.S. economy, but the financial devastation wrought by the coronavirus pandemic has forced cuts that will reduce public services — from schools to trash pickup.
California state offices reopening. 75% of teleworkers will keep working remotely
Sacramento Bee
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration directed state leaders on Wednesday to start reopening state offices under new coronavirus protocols. Many offices have been empty or nearly empty since mid-March, when the administration directed departments to use telework wherever possible.
See also:
● Who Needs Cities When We All Work From Home? Wall Street Journal
● ANNA SMITH: Could Bakersfield become a Remote Work Capital? Bakersfield Californian
Make a deal on pay cuts or wait? Calif unions face a choice as budget deadline nears
Fresno Bee
With a week left to reach a budget deal, Gov. Gavin Newsom and Democratic leaders in the Legislature stand on opposite sides of a $3.6 billion proposal to trim public employees’ wages. Newsom plans to save the money by cutting state workers’ pay 10 percent and canceling raises scheduled for the next year.
Virus exposes sharp economic divide: College vs. non-college
Bakersfield Californian
For an American workforce under continuing threat from the coronavirus, the best protection might just be a college degree. Friday’s jobs report for May delivered a major pleasant surprise, with lower unemployment and 2.5 million added jobs, instead of the darkening picture that had been widely expected.
U.S. taxpayers’ virus relief went to firms that avoided U.S. taxes
Reuters
Last month Zagg Inc, a Utah-based company that makes mobile device accessories, received more than $9.4 million in cash from a U.S. government program that has provided emergency loans to millions of businesses hit by the coronavirus.
TRANSPORTATION
U.S. will allow limited flights by Chinese airlines, not impose a ban
LA Times
The Trump administration said Friday it will let Chinese airlines operate a limited number of flights to the U.S., backing down from a threat to ban the flights. The decision came one day after China appeared to open the door to U.S. carriers United Airlines and Delta Air Lines resuming one flight per week each into the country.
Calif Assembly wants bullet train contract deferred in rebuke of project’s current plan
LA Times
In the strongest challenge to the California bullet train project in the past decade, a majority of the California Assembly has co-sponsored a resolution directing the state rail authority to defer awarding a contract this year to build a partial high speed system between Merced and Bakersfield.
Is flying safe amid coronavirus outbreak? Here’s what medical experts say
LA Times
To help revive the devastated travel industry, airline trade groups and aviation manufacturers are kicking off campaigns to convince travelers that the risk of being infected by the coronavirus on a flight is low thanks to improved cleaning efforts and sophisticated cabin ventilation systems.
Two plans for highway investments, zero plans to pay for them
Roll Call
As the deadline to renew the current highway bill approaches, so too does one likelihood: It won’t happen unless the federal government prepares itself to go further into debt.
See also:
● Opinion: Investing in the transportation system America needs The Hill
Caltrain aims to increase service
The Daily Journal
Peninsula’s rail transportation agency also offering 50% discount to low-income riders.
See also:
● In crisis, Amtrak is focused on testing and training for new trains to debut in 2021 Washington Post.
Warszawski: Other cities have encouraged walking and biking with ‘slow streets.’ Why not Fresno?
Fresno Bee
When it comes to taking steps that encourage safe walking and biking, Fresno is seldom proactive. Not when compared to other large cities in California, or even it’s smaller next-door neighbor.
WATER
Managing Freshwater Ecosystems in a Pandemic
PPIC
Efforts to maintain the health of California’s freshwater ecosystems have been disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet maintaining momentum on this work is key to reducing the impact of a hotter, drier climate.
IEUA Receives $196 Million Loan from U.S. EPA for Wastewater Infrastructure Project
California Water News Daily
Inland Empire Utilities Agency (IEUA) announced last week that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provided a $196 million Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) loan for the Regional Water Recycling Plant No. 5 (RP-5) Expansion Project.
“Xtra”
As summer approaches in Modesto, here are tips to stay safe outside, avoid coronavirus
Modesto Bee
Summer weather is here! After nearly three months of sheltering-in-place, Modesto area residents are antsy to get out. But, what activities are safe, or at least safer, to do? As of June 4, large gatherings and venues are not permitted, so most summertime county fairs, concerts and festivals have been canceled or postponed.
Fan experience to change profoundly amid COVID-19 pandemic
Modesto Bee
Dayton Moore remembers so clearly the vast sections of empty seats inside Kauffman Stadium when he took over as general manager of the Kansas City Royals, and he remembers just as vividly — nearly a decade later — how those seats filled and fans roared as the long-suffering club won the World Series.