March 24, 2020

24Mar

POLICY & POLITICS

 

See where, how coronavirus is spreading in California, central San Joaquin Valley

Fresno Bee

As of Monday evening, a total of 36 people in Fresno, Tulare, Madera and Merced counties were confirmed to have tested positive for coronavirus since the first cases were reported on March 6.

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Central Valley homeless population feeling impact of COVID-19

abc30

As the coronavirus continues its spread throughout the state of California, the Valley's homeless population is one of the most vulnerable groups.

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North SJ Valley:

 

Stanislaus County’s top health official says virus spreading

Modesto Bee

The coronavirus is spreading in Stanislaus County, the area’s top public health officer said in a Monday night Facebook Live chat.

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As coronavirus pandemic roils Modesto region, nonprofits adapting

Modesto Bee

Haven Women’s Center of Stanislaus has stopped offering nearly all of its face-to-face services to victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and human trafficking because of the novel coronavirus. Staff members now provide case management, counseling and help filling out restraining orders over the phone.

 

Central SJ Valley:

 

Fresno City Council Member says coronavirus reaction has gone too far. Here’s what experts have said

Fresno Bee

Fresno City Councilmember Garry Bredefeld posted a video message about the novel coronavirus outbreak on Sunday in opposition to decisions made by elected officials based on experts’ recommendations.

 

No ‘community spread’ of coronavirus in Fresno so far. Here’s when that could change

Fresno Bee

Fresno County so far has not confirmed a coronavirus case spread by community transmission. The Public Health Department announced three new positive cases on Friday, bringing the total to six. Five of them were travel-related.

 

City of Fresno: No evictions during COVID-19 local emergency

abc30

As the COVID-19 outbreak continues to impact the Central Valley's ability to go to work, the city of Fresno says they'll be protecting people from eviction if they meet certain standards.

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In Tulare County, biz resources unveiled as infections spike

Business Journal

The Tulare County Economic Development Corp. is unveiling a micro loan program and website to connect businesses with resources as part of its COVID-19 response.

 

South SJ Valley:

 

‘Bakersfield is counting on you’: Mayor Goh urges residents to compy with ‘stay at home’ order

KGET

Bakersfield Mayor Karen Goh has posted a video message, urging residents to stay at home amid the coronavirus outbreak. Mayor Karen Goh posted the message to her Facebook page Monday evening.

 

County asserts ample supply of medical equipment

Bakersfield Californian

Kern County government declared Monday it has plenty of the surgical masks and other protective medical gear now in short supply around the country, even as local clinics say they are beginning to run low amid heightened demand during the coronavirus pandemic.

 

Local landlord waives April rent, encourages others to do so if they can

Bakersfield Californian

Local attorney and landlord Dennis Beaver and his wife Anne were having dinner on a recent night when they both had the same idea at the same time on how they could help during this pandemic.

 

State:

 

COVID-19 and California’s Vulnerable Populations

Public Policy Institute of California

To reduce community spread of COVID-19, California has instituted statewide guidance to shelter in place until further notice, and to practice social distancing when leaving home for approved activities such as grocery shopping or exercise.

See also

 

See where, how coronavirus is spreading in California, central San Joaquin Valley

Fresno Bee

As of Monday evening, a total of 36 people in Fresno, Tulare, Madera and Merced counties were confirmed to have tested positive for coronavirus since the first cases were reported on March 6.

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California now says it needs 50,000 more hospital beds to meet coronavirus surge

Fresno Bee

New modeling shows California needs 50,000 additional hospital beds to meet the incoming surge of coronavirus patients, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Monday.

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Social distancing measures could last two or three months, Newsom warns

San Jose Mercury

Tough social distancing measures to stamp out the coronavirus’ spread may need to last two or three months in California, Gov. Gavin Newsom suggested on Monday, in a drastic contrast with President Trump, who just minutes earlier had predicted the U.S. economy could reopen for business in weeks, not months.

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More testing, new closures as California tries to halt virus

Stockton Record

Newsom reaffirmed he would like to use social pressure to get people to maintain a buffer around each other and is not inclined to have his stay-at-home rule enforced by police. But he said cutting off access to places where people congregated under sunny skies was intended to “help you help yourself.”

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Here is where the California National Guard is being deployed to battle coronavirus

Los Angeles Times

The California National Guard on Monday provide details about how personnel would be deployed across the state to assist in coronavirus aid.

 

California is asking state workers to consider changing jobs in coronavirus outbreak

Sacramento Bee

Gov. Gavin Newsom twice this week praised California state workers who he said are stepping up to fill a badly needed capacity in unemployment offices as the coronavirus pandemic continues.

 

Opinion: Dear Gov. Newsom: Homelessness, like coronavirus, is a public health crisis. Solve both

Fresno Bee

Dear Gov. Newsom: Your steady leadership during this coronavirus pandemic sets an example for others to follow. But your order for Californians to shelter-in-place underscores a tragic reality.

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Trump to postpone Real ID deadline because of coronavirus, giving relief to California DMV

Fresno Bee

President Donald Trump announced Monday afternoon that he plans to postpone the Oct. 1 deadline for Americans to obtain a Real ID card because of the coronavirus outbreak, relieving pressure on states like California where millions of people have yet to apply for the new kind of driver’s license.

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Federal:

 

Give Gavin Newsom what he wants for coronavirus, California Democrats tell Pelosi

Fresno Bee

Gov. Gavin Newsom has a long list of requests for Congress and the Trump administration to help with the coronavirus crisis in California, and dozens of congressional Democrats want to make sure the state gets all of it.

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Trump says he intends to reopen country in weeks, not months

Fresno Bee

As cases of coronavirus continue to rise, President Donald Trump said Monday that he wants to reopen the country for business in weeks, not months, as he claimed, without evidence, that continued closures could result in more deaths than the pandemic itself.

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U.S. intelligence reports from January and February warned about a likely pandemic Washington Post

U.S. intelligence agencies were issuing ominous, classified warnings in January and February about the global danger posed by the coronavirus while President Trump and lawmakers played down the threat and failed to take action that might have slowed the spread of the pathogen, according to U.S. officials familiar with spy agency reporting.

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FEMA's Fight Against Disinformation, From National Lockdown Rumors To Stockpiling

VPR

The Federal Emergency Management Agency is trying to knock down a series of rumors and falsehoods that have been spreading along with the coronavirus pandemic.

 

US surgeon general Jerome Adams on coronavirus: ‘This week, it’s going to get bad’

Today

The U.S. surgeon general urges Americans to stay at home despite an overnight tweet from President Trump saying “we cannot let the cure be worse than the problem,” saying we all need to act as if we already have the virus.

 

Administration to Use Defense Production Act for First Time in Coronavirus Pandemic

Wall Street Journal

The Trump administration is set to use the Defense Production Act on Tuesday for the first time in the coronavirus pandemic to procure about 60,000 coronavirus test kits, as health care workers around the country face severe shortages in kits, masks, ventilators and other crucial equipment.

 

House Democratic leaders dash hopes of remote voting during coronavirus crisis

Fresno Bee

Allowing members of Congress to vote remotely during the coronavirus pandemic would raise “serious security, logistical and constitutional challenges,” according to a new report commissioned by House Democratic leadership.

 

Tensions rise as $2 trillion virus aid stalls in Washington

abc30

Tensions flared Monday as Washington strained to respond to the worsening coronavirus outbreak, with Congress arguing over a nearly $2 trillion economic rescue package and an impatient President Donald Trump musing openly about letting the 15-day shutdown expire.

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EDITORIAL: U.S. senators behaving badly with stock trading

San Francisco Chronicle

As America was on the precipice of the worst health crisis in modern times, it appears that a few U.S. senators who had been briefed on its magnitude moved quickly and quietly to shield their finances against the coming cataclysm.

 

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.

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Elections 2020:

 

Coronavirus suddenly upends campaign themes for both parties

Fresno Bee

The coronavirus pandemic and the nation's crashing economy are scrambling the themes both political parties thought would carry them to victory in November for control of the White House and Congress.

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Michael Bloomberg’s campaign sued by former staffers alleging fraud

Los Angeles Times

Four field organizers for billionaire Michael R. Bloomberg’s aborted presidential bid sued his campaign on Monday, arguing that they were fraudulently promised employment and healthcare through the November election.

 

States Begin Prep for Mail-In Voting in Presidential Election

PEW

Any absentee ballot expansion needs to consider security and access.

 

Column: Biden is right to pick a woman for vice president. Now he has to make the right choice

Los Angeles Times

Pledging to select a female vice president was smart because it’s the right thing to do. America, supposedly the land of equal opportunity, should have elected a woman president long ago. The veep spot is just one step away.

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The most interesting takeaways from how 2020 candidates spent their money in February

Washington Post

The latest campaign finance filings are in, finally giving us answers to some of our burning questions before most of the Democratic presidential candidates dropped out of the race.

 

Other:

 

‘Extraordinary change’: How coronavirus is rewiring the Republican and Democratic parties

Politico

Last week, Republicans joined Democrats — and in some cases got in front of them — in calling for direct payments to Americans to help cope with the economic fallout from the pandemic.

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Truth Decay in the Coronavirus Moment: Q&A with Jennifer Kavanagh

RAND

There is so much information and misinformation out there about the novel coronavirus and COVID-19. Jennifer Kavanagh, who wrote the RAND book Truth Decay about the diminishing role that facts play in making important public policy decisions, calls the current situation a worst-case scenario.

 

Social media data could greatly aid in tracking COVID-19 worldwide

Roll Call

The largest sets of nonpublic data — things like search queries, website access logs, private social media posts and location data — belong to large technology companies such as Facebook and Google.

 

Spit On, Yelled At, Attacked: Chinese-Americans Fear for Their Safety

New York Times

Yuanyuan Zhu was walking to her gym in San Francisco on March 9, thinking the workout could be her last for a while, when she noticed that a man was shouting at her. He was yelling an expletive about China. Then a bus passed, she recalled, and he screamed after it, “Run them over.”

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Fiona Hill on the role of expertise and public servants in a time of crisis

Brookings Institution

On this episode, Brookings President John R. Allen interviews Brookings Senior Fellow Fiona Hill about the role that public servants and expertise have during a time of crisis.

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MADDY INSTITUTE PUBLIC POLICY PROGRAMMING

 

Sunday, March 29, at 10 a.m. on ABC30 – Maddy Report: California Migration: The Story of Us - Guest: Judy Lin, CALmatters. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.

 

Sunday, March 29, at 10 a.m. on Newstalk 580AM/105.9FM (KMJ) – Maddy Report - Valley Views Edition: California Migration & Immigration: Who Is Coming and Who is Going? - Guests: California Secretary of State Padilla; Sarah Bohn, PPIC; John Myers, LA Times; and Judy Lin with CALmatters. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.

 

Sunday, March 29, at 7:30 a.m. on UniMas 61 (KTTF) – El Informe Maddy: El Censo y la Redistribución de Distritos Electorales  - Guests: Joe Hayes, Investigator del Instituto de Politicas Publicas de California, Secretario de Estado Alex Padilla y Margarita Fernandez Jefe de Relaciones Publicas de la oficina de la Auditora de California. Host: Maddy Institute Program Coordinator, Maria Jeans.

 

AGRICULTURE/FOOD

 

Valley grocery stores operating while using safety measures during COVID-19 outbreak

abc30

Grocery stores are doing their part to try to protect long lines of customers who have been coming in to buy food during the COVID-19 outbreak.

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These restaurants are now taking takeout orders

Visalia Times Delta

Many Visalia and Tulare-area restaurants are staying open to offer special delivery or takeout services during California's stay-at-home order.

 

California asks feds to let CalFresh recipients order online

San Francisco Chronicle

As Californians stay home to avoid the coronavirus, many now rely on online food ordering to avoid crowds at supermarkets. But people who buy groceries with CalFresh, the state’s version of food stamps, are barred from using the benefit for online or delivered orders, meaning that they or their helpers can only buy food in person at stores.

 

A happy little miracle in dark times: The plant nursery business is booming

Los Angeles Times

After an economic week so bleak, with thousands out of work and businesses teetering on the edge, a happy little miracle has happened in the world of plants.

 

Commentary: It’s National Ag Day, so here’s to celebrating the farmers and ranchers who feed us

Fresno Bee

National Ag Day is a celebration of the agricultural community and an effort to show our fellow citizens the essential role that agriculture plays in their everyday lives, as well as provide them with a quality understanding of how food and fiber products are produced.

 

EDITORIAL: California Deems Pot an Essential Coronavirus Business

Wall Street Journal

Potheads panicked after California Gov. Gavin Newsom last week ordered all “non-essential” businesses to close and citizens to stay home except to perform essential activities. Over the weekend Mr. Newsom told them to chill and that producing, selling and buying marijuana all qualify as essential.

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CRIMINAL JUSTICE/FIRE/PUBLIC SAFETY

 

Crime:

 

3 arrested on suspicion of looting Fresno County stores amid coronavirus outbreak

Fresno Bee

Three suspects have been arrested on suspicion of looting a Walgreens and a Save Mart in Kingsburg amid the coronavirus outbreak, police said Monday.

 

Trump designates some medical supplies as ‘scarce’ — so hoarding them is now a crime

Fresno Bee

President Donald Trump signed an executive order Monday that designates certain medical supplies as “scarce” to prevent price gouging and hoarding, according to a White House press briefing.

 

Have a court-ordered commitment at San Joaquin County Jail? Follow these steps to reschedule

Stockton Record

All court-ordered commitments and book-and-releases to the San Joaquin County Jail now through April 3 will need to be rescheduled as a result of COVID-19, the new coronavirus, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

 

Public Safety:

 

Fresno Co. courts nearly empty, jail nearly full as two inmates get tested for COVID-19

abc30

The state court, jail, and prison systems are all interconnected and just as the first prisoner tested positive for coronavirus, Fresno County courts shut down almost entirely.

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California chief justice suspends all jury trials statewide in response to coronavirus

Fresno Bee

All jury trials in California’s superior courts have been suspended for 60 days so the courts can meet stringent health directives to slow the coronavirus spread and the respiratory illness it causes.

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California tourist towns demand outsiders stay home. ‘Someone is going to get shot’

Modesto Bee

Stacy Corless opened Facebook on Monday and saw someone suggest it was time to start slashing visitors’ tires. It was startling evidence to Corless, a Mono County Supervisor, that a frantic fear of outsiders had gripped some people in the ski resort community of Mammoth Lakes.

 

CHP closed its academy over coronavirus pandemic, but Cal Fire training will go on

Fresno Bee

The California Highway Patrol has closed its academy because of the coronavirus pandemic, but Cal Fire says its training academy in Ione is staying open for classes for its recruits.

 

California governor cautious on earlier release of inmates

Bakersfield Californian

California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday ruled out releasing violent inmates in response to the coronavirus pandemic, but left the door open to other relief that he said needs to be carefully weighed to avoid worsening the state's homelessness crisis.

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Gun Stores Remain Open Despite ‘Non-Essential’ Classification

KPBS

Gun stores in San Diego County are seeing record sales during the coronavirus outbreak, but county officials say the stores should not be open under Gov. Gavin Newsom's stay-at-home order. They say gun stores are not included in the list of "essential businesses."

 

Fire:

 

PG&E to plead guilty to lethal crimes in 2018 wildfires

Bakersfield Californian

Pacific Gas & Electric will plead guilty to 84 counts of involuntary manslaughter for a swath of death and destruction left behind after its fraying electrical grid ignited a 2018 wildfire that destroyed three Northern California towns and drove the nation's largest utility into bankruptcy.

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ECONOMY/JOBS

 

Economy:

 

Regional Economic Sustainability Becomes Critical as California Faces Unprecedented Crisis

CAFWD

As the impact of COVID-19 accelerates an economic downturn, the importance of building sustainable economies resilient to extraordinary hardships is more important than ever.

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Fed makes strongest bid yet to protect firms and governments

Fresno Bee

The Federal Reserve is unleashing its boldest effort yet to protect the U.S. economy from the coronavirus by helping companies and governments pay their bills and survive a devastating crisis.

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President Trump Is Already Considering Defying Health Experts to Boost the Economy

Time

As the coronavirus crisis deepens in the U.S., President Donald Trump is weighing whether to lift or lessen social restrictions designed to save lives and avoid swamping hospitals with COVID-19 patients in an effort to restart the battered American economy.

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Let's Not Call It A Bailout; Businesses Didn't Cause The Coronavirus

Capital Public Radio

Bailouts stir up images of businesses acting recklessly, enriching themselves, and then asking the government for money. That's not the case this time.

 

How the 2008 and 2020 recessions will be different, and why that matters

Politifact

With the likelihood of a recession caused by the coronavirus outbreak, lawmakers have begun talking about remedies that will sound familiar to anyone who lived through the Great Recession of 2008: stimulus checks, assistance to hard-hit businesses, and moves by the Federal Reserve.

 

Fintech firms say new tech could speed recovery from COVID-19

Roll Call

Financial technology companies are working to improve behind-the-scenes market functions, such as exchanging securities and making lending decisions, saying the use of new technologies could help markets recover faster than they did in past financial crises.

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Amazon’s Bezos, Other Corporate Executives Sold Shares Just in Time

Wall Street Journal

Top executives at U.S.-traded companies sold a total of roughly $9.2 billion in shares of their own companies between the start of February and the end of last week, a Wall Street Journal analysis shows.

 

Tourism-Reliant States Slammed by Coronavirus

PEW

"We're going to see severe, depression-like conditions but the impact will be relatively short-lived, if you can call six to nine months short," said Jan Freitag, a hotel industry analyst in Nashville.

 

Opinion: Coronavirus Threatens America’s Nonprofits

Wall Street Journal

As policy makers respond to the coronavirus pandemic and its economic effects, they shouldn’t forget about America’s nonprofits, which are on the front lines of caring for the nation’s most vulnerable populations.

 

Jobs:

 

Coronavirus to cost California 125,000 hotel jobs, more than any other state, trade group says

Los Angeles Times

The hotel industry in the Golden State is expected to be hit hardest by the coronavirus outbreak because California has the most hotel jobs — about 285,000 — according to the American Hotel and Lodging Assn. trade group.

 

Laid off? These companies are hiring to deal with coronavirus demands

Fresno Bee

Fresno-area workplaces like restaurants are laying off workers and cutting hours as people shelter in place to avoid spreading coronavirus.

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Coronavirus: Glassdoor survey finds people confident about long-term working from home

San Jose Mercury

As many Californians have unexpectedly found themselves working from home due to the statewide shelter in place edict that’s part of the effort to control the spread of coronavirus, the practice of working remotely is having an impact on employees that could last beyond the end of the current worldwide pandemic.

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Amazon expands ‘social distancing’ to six feet at warehouses, after complaints from employees

Sacramento Bee

Until a few days ago, Amazon warehouse employees in Sacramento and elsewhere — representing tens of thousands of workers nationwide — were told that a three-foot separation was sufficient.

 

What you should know about wearing gloves and a mask if you can’t work from home

Los Angeles Times

As the virus spreads and more people become infected, you may be wondering how to stay safe. Here’s the best information we have from Southern California public health experts.

 

Wait for first California jobless benefits could be ‘much longer’ than 21 days amid coronavirus

Sacramento Bee

An unemployed worker in California will likely find their first benefit payment will take “much longer” than the typical 21 days, according to a report from the state Legislative Analyst’s Office report released Monday.

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Coronavirus Spurs Paid Leave Push

PEW

While waiting for state and congressional lawmakers to act, some governors have used their emergency powers to require some paid leave.

 

California construction workers prepare to mobilize for coronavirus surge response

Politico

The head of California’s powerful building and construction trades union says plans are in the works to deploy tens of thousands of construction workers to retool and refit hospitals, hotels and buildings the state needs as a surge response to the coronavirus pandemic.

 

Judge rules freelance journalists, photographers not exempt from AB5

San Francisco Chronicle

A federal judge has refused to exempt freelance journalists and photographers from a new California law that would reclassify many of them as employees rather than contractors, a status that would increase their workplace benefits but could make it harder for them to find work.

 

EDUCATION

 

K-12:

 

This Tulare County public school remains open as coronavirus cases continue to spread

Fresno Bee

An elementary school in Tulare County is still open even though Governor Gavin Newsom ordered a statewide stay-at-home order and the county has the highest number of positive coronavirus cases in the central San Joaquin Valley.

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Outside Creek Elementary School remains open Visalia Times Delta

Porterville Unified closes schools due to COVID-19 abc30

Virtual reality begins: TCOE provides distance learning site Porterville Recorder

 

Clovis Unified sends home packets, provides online resources for students

abc30

Students have faced a whole week without seeing their teachers in the classroom, but it's not stopping them from keeping up with their studies.

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The Libraries Are Shuttered But This FUSD Librarian Is Still Doing Storytime

VPR

The Fresno Unified School District and all Fresno County Public Library branches are temporarily closed to reduce the spread of the coronavirus. But despite those closures, one Fresno librarian is still bringing story time to her students, via the web.

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Switch to Remote Learning Could Leave Students With Disabilities Behind

Pew Trusts

School leaders are grappling with how to deliver special education services — and stay compliant with state and federal civil rights law — as governors shut down school buildings to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus.

 

Higher Ed:

 

Fresno City College student’s coronavirus test results have come in, officials say

Fresno Bee

The Fresno City College student whose possible exposure to coronavirus forced a brief lockdown on part of the campus last week tested negative for the virus, college President Carole Goldsmith said Monday.

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UC Merced student tests negative for COVID-19, university says

abc30

A UC Merced student who showed symptoms for COVID-19 has tested negative for the novel virus, university officials confirmed to Action News.

 

Six UC Merced graduate programs recognized by U.S. News rankings

Merced Sun-Star

US. News & World Report has ranked six of UC Merced’s engineering graduate programs in its 2021 Best Graduate Schools rankings released on Tuesday, a sign that the university’s reputation is continuing to build.

 

As Colleges Go Online, Not All Students Head Home

VPR

Colleges across the state are going to online classes, and for many students, that means heading home to parents. But for some students, that’s not an option.

 

ENVIRONMENT/ENERGY

 

Environment:

 

Climate Change Push Fuels Split On Coronavirus Stimulus

NPR

Clean energy and climate advocates say the huge stimulus bill Congress is negotiating should address not only the economy, but also climate change. But a split over that appears to have contributed to delays in passing the bill.

 

Traffic and Pollution Plummet as U.S. Cities Shut Down for Coronavirus

New York Times

In cities across the United States, traffic on roads and highways has fallen dramatically over the past week as the coronavirus outbreak forces people to stay at home and everyday life grinds to a halt.

 

EDITORIAL: Climate change is just as real as COVID-19. Now’s the last, best chance for our government to treat it that way

Los Angeles Times

There is no doubt that the COVID-19 pandemic is the crisis of the moment, and a terribly serious one at that, threatening not only human lives but also the global economy.

 

HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES

 

Health:

 

7 new coronavirus cases in Fresno County, 13 total. Tulare, Madera County cases also increase

Fresno Bee

Seven new coronavirus (COVID-19) cases were reported in Fresno County on Monday evening, bringing the county’s coronavirus cases up to 13.

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Coronavirus pneumonia drug possible ‘by summer’ after FDA fast-tracks clinical trial

Fresno Bee

Medicine for the most severe respiratory symptoms caused by the coronavirus could clear clinical trials as soon as this summer, its manufacturer said on Monday, after receiving approval to test the drug from the Food and Drug Administration.

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Coronavirus testing: Here’s who should get it and how to be recommended for it

Fresno Bee

Fresno County health officials acknowledge “frustrations” surrounding the availability of test kits for coronavirus and said they’re using their limited resources “judiciously.” Fresno County’s interim health officer, Dr. Rais Vohra, defined who is considered high-risk for coronavirus infection and might need a test.

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80% of COVID-19 patients in L.A. County are ages 18 to 65; fatalities rise to 7

Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles County on Monday provided new information about the spread of coronavirus as well as the demographics of the patients.

 

What Coronavirus Means for Pregnancy and Other Things New and Expecting Mothers Should Know

Capital Public Radio

The experience you expected is likely to be very different from the one you actually get. The key to staying sane is to be as ready as possible to throw your best-laid-plans out the window.

 

Column: Here’s what to do if you think you have the coronavirus

Los Angeles Times

Even for most people with coronavirus, Morocco said, an ICU bed isn’t necessary. You’ve got to be really sick, he said, to go to the ER.

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What you should know about wearing gloves and a mask if you can’t work from home

Los Angeles Times

Gloves can serve as a layer of protection but can still transmit the novel coronavirus, which causes COVID-19, said David Bazzo, a clinical professor of family medicine at UC San Diego. In short: The gloves may be protecting you but also transmitting the virus.

 

How South Korea Flattened the Coronavirus Curve

New York Times

The malcountry showed that it is possible to contain the coronavirus without shutting down the economy, but experts are unsure whether its lessons can work abroad.

 

Human Services:

 

California now says it needs 50,000 more hospital beds to meet coronavirus surge

Fresno Bee

New modeling shows California needs 50,000 additional hospital beds to meet the incoming surge of coronavirus patients, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Monday.

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County asserts ample supply of medical equipment

Bakersfield Californian

Kern County government declared Monday it has plenty of the surgical masks and other protective medical gear now in short supply around the country, even as local clinics say they are beginning to run low amid heightened demand during the coronavirus pandemic.

See also

 

COVID-19 and California’s Vulnerable Populations

Public Policy Institute of California

To reduce community spread of COVID-19, California has instituted statewide guidance to shelter in place until further notice, and to practice social distancing when leaving home for approved activities such as grocery shopping or exercise.

See also

 

Some Hospitals Continue With Elective Surgeries Despite COVID-19 Crisis

California Healthline

Across the nation, hospitals, nurses and physicians are sending out desperate pleas for donations of personal protective gear as supplies dwindle in the regions that have emerged as hot spots for the fast-spreading new coronavirus.

 

Sierra View Medical Center stops visitors, starts specimen collection site

abc30

The first COVID-19 positive patient in Tulare County was treated at Sierra View Medical Center in Porterville. Since then, the hospital activated an incident command center, started a drive-through specimen collection site, and most recently, changed its visitor policy.

 

John C. Fremont Hospital Now Offering ‘Telemed’

Sierra News

Starting today (March 23), patients at John C. Fremont Hospital will have the option to use “telemed” via any phone (landline, smartphone, flip phones) if they meet the criteria.

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Kaweah Delta works to prevent the spread of COVID-19

Visalia Times Delta

Kaweah Delta is working around the clock to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in a number of ways including isolating patients with respiratory symptoms inside and outside of its facility.

 

Insurance rates will spike without US action on coronavirus costs, Covered California says

Sacramento Bee

Without federal action, insurance premiums are likely to skyrocket by as much as 40 percent or more in 2021 because of the costs of testing and caring for patients with COVID-19, Covered California reported Monday.

 

People With Disabilities Say Rationing Care Policies Violate Civil Rights

Capital Public Radio

People with disabilities are asking the federal government to stop state and hospital policies that they fear will ration care in favor of younger and healthier people.

 

Hospitals scramble to hire nurses amid national shortage

San Francisco Chronicle

As the surge in new coronavirus patients threatens to overwhelm Bay Area hospitals, some are preparing by aggressively ramping up the hiring of nurses, reshuffling staff and even asking recent retirees to return.

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Tribes Expect Little Help Fighting Coronavirus

PEW

Tribal governments are working to protect their venerated Elders from the coronavirus pandemic.

 

IMMIGRATION

 

U.S. troops remain at southern border despite waning migration, as coronavirus spreads elsewhere

Los Angeles Times

As National Guard and active military deploy for coronavirus response, 5,200 troops remain at the border despite the lowest crossings in years, with “no plans” to join the fight.

 

LAND USE/HOUSING

 

Land Use:

 

Yosemite National Park closed to public to prevent spread of coronavirus

Fresno Bee

To help curb the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19), Yosemite National Park closed to visitors at 3 p.m. Friday, Yosemite officials announced after the closure began.

 

Gov. Newsom shuts down state parking lots to encourage social distancing

abc30

California Gov. Gavin Newsom says the state will be shutting down all state parking lots after videos of groups of people gathered at beaches and parks surfaced over the weekend.

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Even as metropolitan areas diversify, white Americans still live in mostly white neighborhoods

Brookings

When the 2020 census results are released next year, they will show that America’s population is more racially diverse than ever before, with four out of every 10 residents projected to identify as a nonwhite racial group.

 

Housing:

 

Central Valley homeless population feeling impact of COVID-19

abc30

As the coronavirus continues its spread throughout the state of California, the Valley's homeless population is one of the most vulnerable groups.

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City of Fresno: No evictions during COVID-19 local emergency

abc30

As the COVID-19 outbreak continues to impact the Central Valley's ability to go to work, the city of Fresno says they'll be protecting people from eviction if they meet certain standards.

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Local landlord waives April rent, encourages others to do so if they can

Bakersfield Californian

Local attorney and landlord Dennis Beaver and his wife Anne were having dinner on a recent night when they both had the same idea at the same time on how they could help during this pandemic.

 

Open houses stopped. For sale signs gone. How coronavirus is hurting California real estate

Sacramento Bee

In an unprecedented move, California’s main real estate sales association has called on agents not to hold open houses, not to enter homes and not even meet face to face with clients for fear of spreading the coronavirus.

 

PUBLIC FINANCES

 

California saved billions for ‘rainy day.’ But two economic hurricanes are headed our way

Merced Sun-Star

Right now, the state government remains the bedrock of the region’s economy — tens of thousands of its workers are still on the job even as much of the rest of the economy implodes. But the state is hardly immune to economic convulsions.

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States still reporting surge in virus-related jobless claims

PBS

Some states on Friday continued to report huge spikes in new claims for unemployment benefits after a week of widespread business closures as a precaution against the spread of the coronavirus.

 

TRANSPORTATION

 

Amtrak reducing trains, closing Fresno, Hanford stations

Business Journal

With ridership down about 70% as of Monday, Amtrak San Joaquins is reducing service and closing train station lobbies in Fresno and Hanford.

 

Gas prices plummet in Fresno, Valley as coronavirus sinks global demand for oil

Fresno Bee

Diminished demand for gasoline in California and the U.S. has helped to drive the average price of gasoline in Fresno to below $3 per gallon for the first time in more than 2 1/2 years.

 

US to bring home stranded Americans using planes that deport immigrants

Fresno Bee

With pressure mounting over Americans stranded outside the United States because of coronavirus-related travel restrictions, the government plans to use its planes that deport migrants to bring U.S. citizens home, a senior administration official said Monday.

 

U.S. Domestic Passenger Flights Could Virtually Shut Down, Voluntarily or by Government Order

Wall Street Journal

Major U.S. airlines are drafting plans for a potential voluntary shutdown of virtually all passenger flights across the U.S., according to industry and federal officials, as government agencies also consider ordering such a move and the nation’s air-traffic control system continues to be ravaged by the coronavirus contagion.

 

WATER

 

Modesto area gets brief deluge as work day ends. More rain is on the way

Modesto Bee

The latest storm started with a late-afternoon downpour Monday in the Modesto area, which can expect more rain this week. The downtown gauge of the Modesto Irrigation District recorded 0.16 inches between 4 and 5 p.m. North Modesto and central Turlock also had cloudbursts.

 

“Xtra”

 

Do’s and don’ts of outdoor recreation in Modesto during the coronavirus stay-home order

Modesto Bee

During this coronavirus stay-at-home environment, finding ways to have fun can take some work. Everyone agrees that taking a walk or jog or bike ride with immediate family, while keeping a minimum distance of 6 feet from others, is fine.

 

Stay-home order for coronavirus exempts Modesto-area food plants. Wine and beer, too

Modesto Bee

Thousands of people can still work at Modesto-area food and beverage plants despite Thursday’s stay-home order from the state. Wine and beer producers are among the exempt businesses, which is welcome news to home-bound folks who could use an evening glass.

 

Lots Of Fun Things That Weren't Free Before Coronavirus Suddenly Are

NPR

Other companies — outside the traditional streaming sites such as Hulu, Netflix and Amazon — are making content available during the era of social distancing. But some companies, musicians and others are lending their services and talents for free in an effort to help all of us make it through these uncertain times with a bit more ease.

 

What to Do When You’re Sheltering in Place

Wall Street Journal

Make your bed first thing when you get up. Stand up straight. Comb your hair. Dress in clean clothes. Don’t spend the day in pajamas.

 

The therapeutic value of the garden in trying times

Washington Post

If someone were to say I must self-isolate in the garden for the next few weeks, I would shake him or her by the hand. If I could. Here’s a thumbs up from a distance of six feet or more.

 

Find Your Cause: How To Serve Your Community By Living Life Intentionally

Forbes

Intentional living can take many forms, but finding and committing to a community cause is one way to add more meaning to a hectic lifestyle.

 

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The Kenneth L. Maddy Institute at California State University, Fresno was established to honor the legacy of one of California’s most principled and effective legislative leaders of the last half of the 20th Century by engaging, preparing and inspiring a new generation of governmental leaders for the 21st Century. Its mission is to inspire citizen participation, elevate government performance, provide non-partisan analysis and assist in providing solutions for public policy issues important to the region, state and nation.

                                                     

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